Governor Ron DeSantis has announced an additional $7.8 million in funding from the Florida Disaster Fund to aid communities affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. This financial support is part of ongoing efforts to assist recovery in the state.
"Florida sees disaster recovery through to the end, and thanks to our state's good financial standing, we are able to help those who were devastated by hurricanes this year," stated Governor DeSantis. "I'm pleased to make these awards today in our continued efforts to help Floridians get back to normalcy."
The allocation includes $500,000 for school district foundations, aimed at supporting teachers and staff who facilitated reopening schools shortly after the storms. Specific counties receiving funds include Lafayette and Hamilton for Hurricane Helene, as well as Charlotte, Citrus, Hernando, and Polk for Hurricane Milton. This sum adds to over $750,000 previously provided for similar purposes.
First responders will also receive a boost with $300,000 awarded on top of a prior $400,000 grant this season. Governor DeSantis allocated $100,000 each to the Police Benevolent Association, Fraternal Order of Police, and Florida Sheriffs Association.
Furthermore, $7 million has been designated for repairing and rebuilding homes damaged by the hurricanes. Partnerships with companies like Home Depot and various non-profits are expected to enhance these efforts.
Following Hurricane Ian in 2022, more than 1,250 homes were repaired with over 51,000 volunteer hours contributed through similar initiatives funded by the Florida Disaster Fund. Homeowners can access resources through programs such as Hope Florida hotline at 1-833-GET-HOPE.
In addition to funding allocations for recovery efforts post-hurricanes Helene and Milton, Governor DeSantis reported that over 30 million cubic yards of debris have been cleared since implementing the City and County Debris Reporting Dashboard. This initiative aims at maintaining transparency about local debris removal progress following storm events.