All Hands and Hearts Monthly Update - Florida (May)

FLORIDA RELIEF HURRICANE MICHAEL RESPONSE UPDATE (May 2019)

CURRENT ACTIVITIES (RESPONSE PHASE) ●

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We continue to provide assistance to homeowners in Bay County, filling the immediate and unmet needs for response work (mucking, gutting, mold sanitation, debris removal, and item salvage).

We are committed to the long-term recovery effort in Florida thru December 2019; response work will officially transition to recovery in June/July. Initial rebuild assessments are currently taking place and our future scope of work in the community is being determined.

This last month, our team began response work at the CC & Vivian Moore Boys and Girls Club in Panama City. Volunteers mucked and gutted water-damaged classrooms and gym areas, sanitized all interior spaces, removed debris, and cleaned the grounds. Pictured at left, volunteer Kaitlyn removes linoleum in the teen center. To the right, one of our teams of volunteers that worked on the facility.

Volunteer Voices “There are too many memories to count to pick just one. I was challenged every day and can't even count how many times my cheeks hurt from laughing, because I am so happy here. Working alongside people that I now consider best friends everyday, meeting and helping resilient homeowners, sharing joy, laughs, tears, and love.”

"AHAH is my home now. After 2.5 months, my heart is as full as ever. Supportive staff with positive, inclusive, welcoming energy set the tone for an awesome program. I have grew so much in my time here, empowered to be at my best and share that with others. "

OUR IMPACT

517

PEOPLE IMPACTED

191

JOBS COMPLETED

305

VOLUNTEERS

3,587

VOLUNTEER DAYS

DISASTER PROFILE On October 10th 2018, Hurricane Michael slammed into Mexico Beach, Florida as a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained wind speeds of 155 mph. With record-breaking wind speeds, Michael is both the strongest storm to make landfall in the continental US (since Hurricane Andrew in 1992), and is the strongest storm 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, South Carolina and North Carolina. Communities across the region are devastated, and multiple towns in the Panhandle are destroyed beyond recognition. The overall death toll stands at 45 (35 in Florida alone).

OUR WORK Thanks to the crucial support of our partners, donors, local community, and volunteers from all over the world, All Hands and Hearts – Smart Response has run an impactful program in Florida since October 2018. Assessing the immense and widespread destruction of the storm, our team identified a need for tree work, debris removal, mucking and gutting, and mold sanitation. Prioritizing the most vulnerable populations, we have deployed chainsaw and gutting teams to primarily rural communities in Bay County.

OUR MISSION To effectively and efficiently address the immediate and long-term needs of communities impacted by natural disasters. By listening to local people, and deploying a unique model of engaging volunteers to enable direct impact, we rebuild safe, resilient schools, homes and other community infrastructure.

OUR FLORIDA PARTNERS

5 YEARS IN A ROW! Only 10% of charities have received at least 5 consecutive 4-star ratings. This means All Hands and Hearts outperforms most of the other 1.5 million charities in America in operational and financial efficiency.

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For additional information: info@allhandsandhearts.org www.allhandsandhearts.org