Tampa Bay Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund

As Hurricane Irma threatened in Fall 2017, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay and other local funders sprang into action. They joined to provide a trusted source to gather and disburse disaster relief and recovery funds.

Allegany Franciscan Ministries, Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, the Pinellas Community Foundation, four area United Ways and others pooled their resources with the the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, whose disaster fund had been established a decade earlier.

A special online donation site was built as the area was evacuating. As soon as the storm passed, the Relief and Recovery Fund began sending money to nonprofits helping those affected by the storm. Feeding Tampa Bay received the first funding of $100,000.

Meanwhile, the general public jointed the effort. ABC Action News launched a live telethon that took in $45,000 in two hours.

A total of $1,200,000 was raised by all the efforts.

The funding organizations worked collaboratively after Irma (which, thankfully, was not as destructive as predicted), to distribute the money to nonprofits and fill gaps in relief aid. A few weeks later, after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, the fund expanded its efforts to assist evacuees to the Tampa Bay area.

The Tampa Bay Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund committee continues to hone its strategy for future disaster relief and recovery as well as planning for the next disaster response.

Partners

Allegany Franciscan Ministries

Community Foundation of Tampa Bay

Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg

Pinellas Community Foundation

United Way of Citrus County

United Way of Hernando

United Way of Pasco

United Way Suncoast

Nonprofits that received grants

2-1-1 Suncoast Inc.

The Arc Nature Coast

The Arc Tampa Bay

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast

Catholic Charities

Center for Great Apes

CASA

The Circle of Veterans and Families

Community Coalition on Homelessness

Daystar Life Center

Disability Achievement Center

Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County

Farmworkers Self-Help, Inc

Feeding Tampa Bay

Florida Dream Center

Humane Society of Pinellas

Jericho Road Ministries

The Kimberly HomeMeals on Wheels of Tampa

Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee County

New Beginnings of Tampa

The Pregancy and Family Life Center

Quantum Leap Farm

Recover Pinellas

Redlands Christian Migrant Association

Restored Hope of Dade City

Salvation Army Sarasota Command

Senior Friendship Centers

The Shepherd Center of Tarpon Springs

St. Petersburg Free Clinic

Tampa Bay Healthcare Collaborative

Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger

Tampa Underground Network

United Food Bank of Plant City

We Care Food Pantry

Women’s Resource Center of Manatee

 

 

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