Last week Bridge a Life received word that we had been selected to receive a grant from the Florida Disaster Relief Fund to assist the families we serve with hurricane recovery.

We were honored to stand alongside other hardworking, compassionate nonprofit partners who, like Bridge a Life, are positioned to quickly and effectively meet the needs of people who have been negatively impacted by these storms.

In the days leading up to Hurricane Milton making landfall, we worked alongside other child welfare agencies to create a shared database of families with whom we engage. This allowed us to streamline our communication efforts after the storm and share the load of touching base with families. Nearly 200 families received a personal call and we are grateful to report that every family made it through the storm safely. Most commonly we heard that power was lost, resulting in all cold food needing to be disposed of. Additionally, many people lost trees, sections of fence, and shingles. Some had more significant damage to their pool cage, roof, or vehicle. Many lost income due to businesses being closed.

We're grateful to have funds available to quickly address the needs of families while pointing them towards sustainable community resources. We understand that FEMA applications and insurance claims take time and we're fortunate to be positioned to help families bridge the gap and stand with them during uncertain times.

Since Hurricane Ian hit in 2022, Bridge a Life has been able to support over 90 individual families in long term recovery efforts. Projects have ranged from contributing towards new roofs to yard cleanups, providing shelter and safety for over 150 children.