Hurricane Ian recovery: Social service organizations need donations, volunteers
After Hurricane Ian, Central Florida social service organizations face an increased demand for housing, food and personal products, so they are appealing to the community for donations.
At least one of them is trying to serve clients while it was damaged by flood.
Martha Are, CEO of the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida, said it was already difficult for the organization to find housing for the families who faced homelessness before the hurricane. Ian exacerbated the problem.
“We’re obviously very concerned about the increase in people who become homeless after and we know that the Red Cross has stepped in for now for people who were displaced, but we also believe that that number may continue to rise,” she said.
Are said the impact of Ian may accentuate the struggles the organization faces to find placement for people.
“We have a very significant shortage of available units, and so that drives the prices up,” Are said. “And when you have limited [supply], then landlords can be very picky about who they work with.”
Are said factors such as eviction histories, criminal records, owning pets and even the size of a family can all become barriers to get into the few housing units available.
Are said donations to the organization may help accommodate those waiting to be placed in units. She asks for volunteers and prayers.
A shelter in Central Florida serving homeless men suffered directly from the hurricane.
Freddy Clayton, president of the Orlando Union Mission Rescue, said Project Hope facility, where around 140 men are housed, was flooded on Thursday. The inundation destroyed the 17 rooms available for guests. Mattresses, furniture, and the men’s personal belongings were lost, Clayton said.
“The final figure is going to be almost $300,000 to repair and replace all the furniture and all the furnishings and the interior of the rooms, and we’re in the midst of raising funds to do so,” Clayton said.
Clayton said the men are sleeping on cots, while the organization waits for new mattresses.
“We were able to move them into other rooms in the facility, so our two main rooms have three or four, sometimes, men in them,” Clayton said. “So it’s a little cramped, but it’s bearable.”
Clayton said after the hurricane, the shelter has been receiving 10 to 20 calls a day from people requesting family housing. He said the facility has surpassed capacity.
“Every bed and literally every couch in our TV rooms is full because ... there is a significant surge in the need,” Clayton said. “And so, we would prefer never to have people sleeping on a couch or on cots in our TV rooms. We figure that is preferable to having them sleep on the streets or in the cars or end up in unstable environments.”
In addition to financial donations to fund the organization’s recovery, Clayton said items such as twin-size sheets, bath towels and personal hygiene products are welcome.
A Central Florida organization assisting families to access diapers and products for infants has doubled operations to match the need.
Sharon Lyles, CEO of the Central Florida Diaper Bank, said the organization helped over 300 families with diapers, wipes and menstrual products on a distribution campaign on Wednesday.
Lyles said the diaper bank is planning to host distribution campaigns in Orlando on Tuesday and Thursday. She said the team is also working toward extending operations to Brevard and Volusia counties.
Lyles said money contributions are the most helpful, though residents can donate unopened diapers, wipes, menstrual products and baby formula.
Derrick Chubbs, president and CEO at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, said the food bank is serving 15 shelters throughout six counties with the the staff back at preparing 300,000 meals per day, a number they had only experienced during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The food bank also takes financial support from the community, but Chubbs said volunteers to assist with meal preparation are essential.
In addition to providing services to local partners, the food bank supports mobile distribution drops, which started the Saturday after the storm.
“That’s increased about 100% because usually, we would do one or two of these mobile distributions, and now we’re doing four to five of these. This is in addition to our normal ones, as well,” Chubbs said. “So there’s a serious level of need out there right now.”
