Although Hurricane Irma hit in 2017, some families have yet to recover from the storm now considered the costliest in Florida history — including damages of more than $220 million on the Treasure Coast.
Treasure Coast Food Bank has established a program to help people still struggling to recover from the destruction left in Irma’s wake, thanks to assistance from the Volunteer Florida Foundation’s Florida Disaster Fund.

The program is designed to provide people with comprehensive support. Beyond offering food assistance, people can obtain home appliances, household necessities like cleaning and hygiene supplies, and financial assistance for home repairs, utilities and moving expenses.

“Hurricane Irma caused devastation to many residents on the Treasure Coast, including many who have yet to fully recover,” said Judith Cruz, president and CEO of Treasure Coast Food Bank. “For people struggling to make ends meet, the hurricane compounded already difficult circumstances and left many families with damage, costly repairs and, in some cases, total displacement from their homes. Because of this assistance from the Volunteer Florida Foundation, we’re prepared to help people with low income who were impacted by Irma and still need help today.”

In addition to providing household items, each family will get a tailored household action plan and one-on-one mentoring to guide them on a path to full recovery. There will be opportunities for them to attend monthly workshops to improve health, wellness, nutrition and financial literacy. And families who qualify will be given assistance in applying for benefits, including SNAP, Medicare and Florida KidCare.

The program is expected to help about 200 families. People who suffered damage from Hurricane Irma can see if they qualify for assistance by visiting stophunger.org/irmarelief/ and completing an eligibility survey.