As Hurricane Milton barrels toward the west coast of Florida, thousands of residents are in the path of destruction projected by the historic storm. Forecasters said tremendous winds, storm surges and tornadoes are likely to cause huge damage to a region. I just recovered from Hurricane Helene.
President Biden told to Floridians his administration would offer support “as long as necessary to save, recover and rebuild.”
Several organizations are preparing to help households affected by Milton. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has numerous disaster recovery centers throughout the state. The White House said Wednesday that FEMA has 20 million meals and 40 million gallons of water ready to be deployed to respond to the ongoing Helen and Milton response efforts.
Information on how to access shelter information and request assistance is available at disasterassistance.gov. Residents can also call 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585.
The American Red Cross is collecting donations to provide shelter and supplies to those affected by Hurricanes Milton and Helene.
The Florida Disaster Fund said it will distribute donations to service organizations that help people respond and recover during disasters. Donations collected will be used for people affected by Milton and Hélène, the fund said.
The Florida Disaster Legal Aid Hotline offers free legal information and advice to those facing challenges in obtaining assistance or support from FEMA for all disaster-related obstacles . Residents can call 833-514-2940 for assistance or apply online.
Local organization Feeding Tampa Bay provides residents with hot meals and food banks. Their disaster preparedness team is trained by FEMA, the organization said, and works directly with local emergency management operations to provide food, water and hygiene items during crisis situations .
For those seeking local housing, Metro Ministries manages housing for at-risk families in Tampa and plans to help obtain food, shelter and supplies needed to get their lives back after Hurricane Milton.
Pet owners and animal lovers can contact the Humane Society of the United States who are working to secure the transportation of dogs and cats, bring them to safety, and provide assistance to devastated animal shelters.
Alex Sundby contributed to this report.
