Two weeks after Hurricane Irma tore through Florida, people in Fairbanks were still stranded. More than 17,000 cubic yards of debris has been cleared in Alachua County, alone. The creeks, streams, and rivers that provide North Florida with so much natural beauty have flooded small towns like High Springs. The rising waters have provided additional breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which has made being outdoors all but unbearable.
So even though Irma weakened to a Category 1 storm by the time it reached North Central Florida, it still did a tremendous amount of damage.
Marsha Conwell is the CEO of Bread of the Mighty Food Bank, which serves five counties in the region, including Alachua, home to Gainesville and the University of Florida. One month later, she says people in her community are still feeling the effects.
"It's still flooded, people are without power, families are living in shelters."
The waters, she said, had started to recede, but then Hurricane Nate arrived in the Gulf last week, bringing more rain and additional flooding.
Our partners at Ace Relocation Systems of Washington, D.C., an Atlas Van Lines agent, understood the gravity of the situation and contacted us last month to find out how they could help. Through our relationship with the Capital Area Food Bank, we were able to arrange for Ace Relocation Systems to deliver nearly 30,000 lbs. of supplies to Gainesville. On Wednesday, the massive donation of meal boxes, water, diapers, canned food, pet food, and other essential personal items was delivered.
"We at Ace feel this our little way of giving back to the community, and we're just glad we could be a part of it," said PVO Curt Maes, who made the delivery for Ace Relocation Systems.
While this collaborative contribution from Ace Relocation Systems and the Capital Area Food Bank will certainly help a lot of people in North Central Florida, this crisis is far from over. When asked if the Bread of the Mighty Food Bank was receiving enough supplies to provide for the communities it serves, Conwell demurred.
"Yes and no," she said. "We don't have any cleanup kits. People need those to get back into their homes."
For anyone looking to help, she simply suggested that donors imagine what they would want to have if the roles were reversed.
"Just think about if you were in that position, living in a shelter. What would your needs be?"
If you'd like to find out how you can continue to help, please sign up to receive updates on our hurricane relief efforts.
