Picking up the pieces after Hurricane Milton

As our community discovers how Hurricane Milton has reshaped it, our Community Foundation has prepared to activate both immediate relief and long-term recovery support. We are fortunate that, by many accounts, our communities were spared the worst of Milton, with the damage of this storm alone not meeting the apocalyptic expectations of forecasters.

That said, Milton's timing, on the heels of Helene, magnifies the need for thougthful and trusted help.

In response to Milton, our community foundation already activated our Season of Sharing fund early to support the workforce hit so hard by Helene, and we know that Milton has compounded the need for immediate help with these basic needs as expensive repairs outpace what many families have on hand for emergencies.

Our Community Foundation’s Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund, investing in equitable and holistic recovery, is also accepting donations. As with Hurricane Ian, the fund will be an essential resource for long-term recovery in Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties responding to unmet needs once immediate emergency relief efforts have concluded.

On October 8, our partners with The Patterson Foundation announced a contribution of up to $3 million in new disaster relief and recovery funding to both of these initiatives.