World Central Kitchen volunteers prepare hundreds of sandwiches for Hurricane Ian survivors. Courtesy, Metropolitan Ministries
Hurricane Ian, amidst its destruction, created beauty in the form of neighbors helping neighbors overcome its adversity. It’s something we’ve witnessed in past storms and almost forget, until we see it again in the next storm – the endearing nature of humanity and brotherly & sisterly love.
Governor DeSantis saw it too, in St. Augustine, just a day after Ian swept through. “I was talking with a couple that had evacuated and when they came back, people were fixing their yard and doing stuff to help them out with their home,” the Governor told reporters. “So you have that spirit in these situations that are very difficult and obviously really life changing, and places that got hit so tremendously. But people step up and they want to help their fellow neighbors.”
In Tampa Bay, one of Ian’s original targets before it took a right turn early into Lee County, residents there seemed especially grateful – they knew they dodged a big bullet. And so there was a tremendous turnout of nonprofit organizations and an army of volunteers who didn’t let their own response plans and supplies go to waste.
A volunteer with Feeding Tampa Bay loads meals for the trip south. Courtesy, Feeding Tampa Bay
The nonprofit World Central Kitchen set up its operation at the Metropolitan Ministries’ commercial kitchen in Tampa, which can prepare 10,000 meals a day. They began cooking before the storm hit and loaded trucks, vans, and cars with food for their hardest hit neighbors to the south. They also made numerous deliveries via airplane to Pine Island and Punta Gorda. They’ve now shifted focus to more long-term recovery efforts, specifically for families that were struggling before the storm hit and don’t have insurance.
Volunteer Florida’s Florida Disaster Fund has raised nearly $40 million as of yesterday. You can go to www.FloridaDisasterFund.org or text DISASTER to 20222 to make a donation. The money is being deployed to nonprofits that are in direct contact with those in need. These are people who don’t have insurance to help. Donations are tax-deductible. Want to get personally involved? They also have a statewide platform for individual volunteer opportunities and they are looking for people with different skills sets, particularly in the mental health field. Please visit www.VolunteerFlorida.org to learn more.
What a wonderful world it would be if everyone lived with a constant state of mind as if it is post storm – when everyone comes together to work to help others in need. No red shirts, no blue shirts, no color of skin, sexual orientation… Just people helping each other.
LMA Newsletter of 10-10-22
