For Immediate Release November 3, 2004
Contact: Fonda Anderson
727-821-2056
TALLAHASSEE -- Volunteer Florida Foundation, which manages the Florida
Hurricane Relief Fund for unmet needs, announces that $1 million has been earmarked
for
nonprofits across Florida. Additionally, Phase II allocations, totaling $6
million, for counties impacted by this season’s hurricanes is now under
way. Phase I allocations totaled $3,914,678, with an additional $1.2 million
in donor-restricted contributions.
Allocations are being made in phases to give the 31 eligible counties, many
hit multiple times this hurricane season, the opportunity to accurately assess
needs on an ongoing basis as restoration progresses. A list of affected counties
and contacts can be reviewed at www.FLAHurricaneFund.org/contacts.php.
Beginning immediately, nonprofits serving multiple counties or working statewide,
can apply for assistance from the fund. Allocations may be used to assist migrant
workers impacted by the hurricanes, assist in individuals’ housing repairs
and rebuilds, to enhance volunteer program management in affected counties,
and to help rebuild damaged structures that house nonprofit organizations.
Access to the request for proposal for nonprofits is now available via the
fund’s website at www.FLAHurricaneFund.org. Deadline for application
is Friday, November 12.
Phase II allocations total $6 million. Of that, $5 million is being targeted
to the 16 hardest hit counties, based on FEMA registrations. (A listing of
these counties is available on the website. These counties also were eligible
for Phase I funding.)
Funding from this phase will focus on individuals’ needs within those
impacted counties, including assisting hurricane survivors with utility payments
and rent – difficult to meet due to unemployment stemming from the hurricanes
and/or the need to re-establish residences as houses were destroyed, child
care needs in areas where such facilities have been severely damaged or destroyed
and housing needs.
The remaining $1 million of Phase II funding will be made available to counties
not on the hardest-hit list, but eligible under Phase I. Application for new
allocations from these counties can be made by amending the previous distribution
plan submitted to the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund.
The Florida Hurricane Relief Fund is designed to cover costs not met by insurance,
federal and state agencies and other relief organizations. Counties decide
how their allocations need to be directed through a joint effort of committees
comprising county government and relief organizations working within those
counties.
The Fund’s voluntary steering committee is chaired by former U.S. Senator
Connie Mack, with Tallahassee-based attorney Steve Uhlfelder serving as the
voluntary CEO. Vice-chairmen are Joe Lacher, President-Florida, BellSouth Telecommunications
Inc. and Clarence Otis, CEO-designee of Darden Restaurants Inc. Also serving
the committee are Susan Story, President and CEO of Gulf Power Company, and
Tony Carvajal, President of Carvajal Consulting and Management.
The fund is managed by nonprofit Volunteer Florida Foundation. All donations
are tax-deductible and will be used for the hurricane relief effort in Florida.
For more information, visit www.flahurricanefund.org, or call 1-800-FL-HELP-1.
Checks, made payable to the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund, can be mailed to
Volunteer Florida Foundation, 401 S. Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301. |