The funding focused on immediate relief efforts, mostly providing funds to community organizations that could replenish food resources and provide emergency services to local residents.

TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund, a strategic collaboration by seven major Tampa Bay area philanthropic organizations, has awarded nearly $500,000 to Tampa Bay area nonprofits to address the needs for immediate recovery after Hurricane Irma.

The first phase of funding focused on immediate relief efforts, mostly providing funds to community organizations that could replenish food resources and provide emergency services to local residents.

The Tampa Bay Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund is a unique partnership of the 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, and United Way Suncoast. It was activated to provide a trusted and reliable way to donate to local storm recovery efforts with 100 percent of the funds collected to address immediate and mid- to long-term recovery needs through the provision of grants to select nonprofits.

Some of the grants that have been distributed:
• $130,000 to local 2-1-1 emergency services including 2-1-1 Suncoast, 2-1-1- Tampa Bay Cares, Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, United Way of Citrus County, United Way of Hernando County, and United Way of Pasco County to assist with lost wages and other critical needs residents are facing;
• $100,000 to Feeding Tampa Bay to help with food distribution as its network of partner agencies was compromised due to power outages;
• $50,000 to Redlands Christian Migrant Association to assist families with emergency housing assistance, home repairs, bill pay assistance, and basic needs like food, water, baby items and personal hygiene items;
• $30,000 to Florida Dream Center to provide food, clothing and services for home repair debris removal;
• $25,000 to Center for Orangutan & Chimpanzee Conservation for emergency tree removal and fence repair services to ensure the safety of the animals and neighbors who live nearby, and to replace spoiled food;
• $10,000 to Disability Achievement Center to provide food, shelter and safety to people with disabilities in Pasco and Pinellas counties;
• $10,000 to Humane Society of Pinellas to repair building damage and replace medications and pet food that spoiled due to power outages;
• $10,000 to St. Petersburg Free Clinic to purchase shelf-stable foods, personal hygiene items and diapers to meet increased demand due to the economic impacts from Irma;
• $10,000 to The Pregnancy and Family Life Center for food and baby items to families is need in Citrus County;
• $10,000 to United Food Bank of Plant City to provide food to an estimated 2,000 additional people;
• $10,000 to We Care Food Pantry to meet increased need for food and set up direct food distributions in neighborhoods without a food pantry; and
• $2,000 to Senior Friendship Centers to provide grocery store gift cards to clients so they can replace lost food.

The second phase of funding will focus on providing resources for long-term recovery needs. Grant proposals for recovery needs are currently being accepted, and local nonprofit and community assistance organizations can access grant guidelines and applications at cftampabay.org/irma.

By working together, the seven collaborators have leveraged their collective resources and pooled their expertise to speed help to those who need it the most across the greater community.

The Fund was activated several days before Irma made landfall in Florida on Sept. 10. Since then, more than $1 million has been contributed by the funding partners, along with corporate donors, individual donors and online donations. Contributions to the Fund include:
• $500,000 donated by the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg;
• $250,000 donated by the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay;
• $250,000 donated by United Way Suncoast;
• $50,000 donated by Allegany Franciscan Ministries;
• $25,000 donated by Respect 90 Foundation;
• $10,000 donated by Black & Veatch Foundation;
• $45,000 donated during a telethon hosted by WFTS/ABC Action News, including a $10,000 donated by Scripps Foundation, which owns WFTS-TV;
• $135,000 from Pinellas Community Foundation;
• $10,000 from United Way Citrus;
• $50,000 from Florida Blue; and
• $15,000 from PwC.

For more information or to donate, go to TBDisasterFund.org.

Tampa Bay | Hurricane Irma | Disaster Relief | Charity | Social Services | Tampabay News | TB Reporter

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