Monthly Program Update - Florida (November 2020)

FLORIDA HURRICANE RELIEF UPDATE NOVEMBER 2020

TOTAL PROGRAM IMPACT

50 15

LIVES IMPACTED VOLUNTEERS

306

VOLUNTEER DAYS

16

JOBS COMPLETED

Current Activities Having completed our previous disaster relief program in Florida in January 2020, and undertaking a six month operational suspension due to COVID-19, we have returned to Florida to support the long-term recovery of more families affected by Hurricane Michael. Thanks to the support of partners, donors, local community and volunteers we have committed to carrying out critical home repairs on 40 homes in Jackson County between October 2020 and April 2021.

Our first cohort of DM12 volunteers arrived last month and, having undertaken their initial training, have now started working on mucking and gutting, mold sanitation and home repairs.

Community Stories One of the first homes that was referred to our team from the North Florida Inland Long Term Recovery Group (NFILTRG) belongs to Pam. Pam has lived in the area for most of her life. She’s a school teacher and has enjoyed getting to know the volunteer team (from a safe distance).

Hurricane Michael destroyed the roof on Pam’s home (see photo on left), and she’s waited two years for roof repairs to be completed.

Several tarp replacements and storms exacerbated the damage to the internal ceilings and flooring, and this also resulted in heavy mold growth. We’re delighted to be able to support Pam by carrying out critical home repairs to ensure she finally has a safe, healthy home once again.

Learn about our programs at

allhandsandhearts.org

Disaster Profile On October 10, 2018 Hurricane Michael slammed into Mexico Beach, Florida as a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained wind speeds of 160 mph. With record-breaking wind speeds, Michael was both the strongest storm to make landfall in the continental US (since Hurricane Andrew in 1992) and to ever hit the Florida Panhandle.

Tracking across the Southeastern United States, winds plunged 1.4 million residents into complete darkness in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Virginia and the Carolinas. Communities across the region were devastated, with full towns in the Panhandle demolished beyond recognition.

Our Work Thanks to the support of our partners, donors, local community and volunteers from all over the world, we have been cultivating a powerful impact in Florida since October 2018. Initially, we focused on response efforts (chainsawing, debris removal and residential flood cleanup) before officially transitioning to a recovery program from June 2019 to January 2020 when we carried out muck and guts, mold sanitation and rebuild work on affected homes. We have launched a new program to support the long-term recovery of another 40 families in Jackson County between October 2020 and April 2021.

About All Hands and Hearts We effectively and efficiently address the immediate and long-term needs of communities impacted by natural disasters. We communicate directly with local leaders and community members and then deploy our unique model of engaging volunteers to enable direct impact, helping to build safer, more resilient schools, homes and infrastructure.

We have earned a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator six years in a row and a Perfect 100. Less than one percent of rated nonprofits have received this distinction for financial and operational efficiency.

Our Partners in Florida

info@allhandsandhearts.org