Individuals & Communities Helping Pre, Post, and During Hurricane Ian

In September, Hurricane Ian landed in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, leaving much destruction and damage behind. Millions of people were impacted both directly and indirectly. As promised, UPLIFT Florida Network is sharing stories emphasizing the truth that we are better and stronger together. These feel-good stories, which are beacons of hope from people willing and wanting to help others in need, is what UPLIFT is all about through its work to create a network of villages.


"Before the hurricane, we made sure everyone had hurricane preparedness information and supplies. The day after the storm, we called each Member to see if they were ok and if they needed anything from Neighbors Network. I'm glad to report that all of our members (we only have 38 members post-COVID) are ok, but unfortunately, one had massive flooding in his home (he is safe, though, as he stayed with his son, who lives nearby during the storm). We anticipate that some of our Members will request yard or another clean-up, so we are asking our volunteers who are interested and able to help with that. Then when a Member makes such a request, we will email those volunteers to see if they can help. While my family had no damage or power outages, and our neighborhoods aren't in terrible shape, there has been a lot of flooding and damage in the Orlando area. We were fortunate." — Cathy Lieblich, President of Neighbors Network & UPLIFT Board Member, Orange County

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"Vacationing in Italy, I watched Hurricane Ian approach, arrive, and leave behind horrific destruction. It was emotional whiplash as one moment as I was obsessing over the news coverage, and the next, heading out for some beautiful experience. Through it all, I remembered the words of Coretta Scott King – "The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members."

Friends prepped our house and yard before Ian's arrival. With limited and often delayed hurricane coverage, friends and neighbors sent frequent text updates – a favor I returned when they lacked power and internet to hear the news. When safe, several neighbors walked our property to inform us that our home's structure was intact and sent photos of the tree debris across the property. The blessing of being away was that our house was empty and available for our niece, her young family, and her mother-in-law until power was restored to their homes in Venice.

Hurricane Ian has been a powerful reminder of my wonderful collection of family, friends, and neighbors. Though diverse in beliefs, politics, and interests, our common human ties bind us together through the storms of life." — Cynthia Kemp, UPLIFT Board Member, Sarasota County

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"Wellington Cares begins hurricane preparations for our participants before the season approaches. Before rumors of any upcoming hurricanes surface, our volunteers gather and distribute supplies for anyone using our services.

The supplies include, but are not limited to, non-perishable food items, bottled water, batteries (and flashlights if needed), and hygiene products. We can provide these items thanks to the generosity of fellow residents, businesses, and organizations in the surrounding community who donate items or monetary donations for volunteers to purchase necessities. This is truly a testament to "Neighbors Helping Neighbors."

Hurricane Ian did not directly impact Palm Beach County the way it affected the West Coast of Florida; however, Wellington was not left unscathed. A tornado touched down in a few neighborhoods causing property damage and power outages. When safety permitted, phone calls were made to participants living in the affected areas, and volunteers ensured they received the assistance they needed.

One couple could not be reached by telephone after Hurricane Ian passed. A volunteer who lives in the same neighborhood walked to their home, with muffins in hand, to ensure they were safe. Happily, their phone was unknowingly off the hook, but the sentiment was nonetheless greatly appreciated.

In addition, each year, Wellington Cares partners with The Village of Wellington's Department of Senior Services. We work together to identify senior residents and compile a list including names, addresses, and phone numbers, which is then provided to emergency responders/personnel, allowing them easy access to our community members during an emergency.

Our thoughts and prayers are with those Villages that were directly impacted by Hurricane Ian." — Diane Gutman, Director of Operations, Wellington Cares, Palm Beach County

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"We decided to stay in our home and ride out the hurricane since we live about 10 miles from Fort Myers Beach. One of my friends lives just 3 miles from Fort Myers Beach, and we decided she would stay with us during the storm. We were very fortunate and had very little damage in our neighborhood. Over the next week, we used a battery-operated lantern, an LED rechargeable flood work light/power bank, and flashlights, including one our friend brought with her that included a radio. We learned a lot about what we need to do next time! Test batteries, buy a solar rechargeable battery, test flashlights, and consider hurricane storm screens. I had purchased some bathing supplies that came in handy. We were without power for a week, and our mobile phones could not access the internet since we had low connectivity.

As I drove from my house to my friend's house closer to Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel, I felt like I was going from one Fort Myers to another. Many people didn't evacuate because they didn't have friends or family to stay with and felt uncomfortable going to a shelter. A village where people get to know one another as friends over time would make a difference, and instead of riding out the storm alone, we can ride it out together." — Barbara Shearer, Neighbors Network of Lee County, Lee County

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"As the winds became stronger, two friends who needed better shelter came to ride out the storm with me. I was delighted to have someone to share my space with. We had each come to believe Ian would be much worse than our local officials seemed to indicate. Since my house is relatively new, with impact windows and a generator, we hoped the storm wouldn't sweep us away.

We watched from the living room as the storm intensified. The small lake behind my house became a swollen, churning body, with the wind chasing waves across in angry pursuit. The water seemed to scream as it crashed into the bank across the lake. We could not take our eyes off the dazzling display of angry energy. This went on for hours as it seemed Ian would never give up. The lake was rising rapidly, and we were fearful the water would reach my lanai. But hours passed without the water rising to the level of my house. We were fortunate. Now, I see the trees around the lake have turned brown — the dead-of-winter brown that wasn't expected for many months. Even with brown, perhaps dying, trees, we know how fortunate we were." — Patty Duncan, Neighbors Network of Lee County, Lee County

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"The Center for Spiritual Living Cape Coral and its congregation are located very near where the eye of the storm passed. Many of their members lost some or all of their homes or otherwise sustained significant damage. One of the members had to leave her home and float out the storm on an abandoned refrigerator that drifted past her house. The church building itself had significant wind damage to its recently repaired roof. In the midst of this, the community pulled together, collecting clothing and food, providing rides, and starting a meals on wheels program—neighbors and friends taking care of each other. The Center's leadership sent emails and calls to sister communities around Florida and the country. Support is starting to flow in. The sister Center in Sarasota held a fundraiser on October 30th to support The Center for Spiritual Living Cape Coral." — Emile Gauvreau, UPLIFT Board Member, Sarasota County

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"During Hurricane Ian, people at the Renaissance Condominium in Sarasota, FL, were a cohesive group with many individuals volunteering to do whatever was needed. The Social Committee served breakfast on Wednesday and Thursday mornings and snacks for the rest of Wednesday. The Social Committee also set up the Media Room with cards, puzzles, and games. The Emergency Preparedness Committee (EPC) established procedures to keep everyone safe. I did a door-to-door survey of my floor to determine who planned to shelter in place and who planned to evacuate. The EPC also established a First Aid Station that we were happy we didn't have to use. The Renaissance was very fortunate that we did not lose power, water, or cell service. Two days after the hurricane on Saturday, the Social Committee hosted an Octoberfest celebration with lots of food, drink, and Oktoberfest-themed decorations and music. Residents filled their plates and socialized with each other, thankful that we rode out of the hurricane so safely. We have an extraordinary building, and we are all safe and sound." — Rachel Rivlin, UPLIFT Board Member, Sarasota County

Hurricane Ian Assistance & Recovery Resources:
Please contact the appropriate agency below for more information.

• Apply for disaster assistance: Enter your city and state or ZIP code to see if your area has been declared for Individual Assistance.
• Florida Disaster Resource Page: FloridaDisaster.org lists many resources that are helpful to those impacted by Hurricane Ian including how to apply for disaster assistance, open shelters, etc
• FEMA Information: If you have experienced impacts from Hurricane Ian, visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for up-to-date resources and information on the federal response to Hurricane Ian. Register for assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov if you have damages not covered by insurance. Contact the Disaster Distress Helpline by texting TalkWithUs to 66746 or call 1-800-985-5990 (for Spanish, press 2 or text Hablanos to 66746) to speak with a trained crisis counselor.
• Federal Reemployment Assistance: Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available to Florida residents whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a result of Hurricane Ian. To apply for DUA, go to www.floridajobs.org or call the Florida Disaster Unemployment Assistance Line at 1-800-385-3920.
• Employ Florida: The Employee Florida Disaster Recovery webpage has information on employment opportunities to help rebuild Florida's communities after a disaster or to post disaster-related jobs. View job opportunities at this link.
• Insurance Consumer Helpline: The toll-free Insurance Consumer Helpline (1-877-693-5236) can answer business and consumer-oriented insurance-related questions.
• Verifying Contractors: Before initiating repairs, verify a contractor's license at myfloridalicense.com Report unlicensed contractor activity by calling FL DBPR's Unlicensed Activity Hotline at (866) 532-1440 or email ULA@myfloridalicense.com.
• Hope Florida: A Pathway to Purpose: Hope Heroes Program: The Department of Elder Affairs, in conjunction with First Lady DeSantis’ Hope Florida initiative, is doing an “all call” for Hope Hero volunteers that can provide either remote telephone assistance or physical assistance to our most vulnerable seniors in the State’s most affected areas from Hurricane Ian. To participate in Hope Florida Disaster Recovery Efforts and become a Hope Hero Volunteer, click here to sign up.