Cecilia Grove faced a tough time when Hurricane Helene’s storm surge inundated the kitchen of the restaurant where she worked as a waitress, forcing her to be out of work for 38 days. This popular eatery, known as The Cottage, located on Siesta Key near Sarasota, Florida, might have resumed operations sooner, but the arrival of Hurricane Milton just 13 days later delayed their reopening even further.
For Grove, the wait was particularly difficult. The 39-year-old single mother cares for her seven-year-old daughter, Aria, who is deaf and relies on cochlear implants, along with her father, who also resides with them. “I’m one person feeding three of us,” she mentioned, highlighting the pressure she felt to provide for her family. After exhausting her savings to cover monthly expenses, including car and health insurance, rent, and groceries, she was left with two options: dip into her daughter’s savings account or accumulate credit card debt.
Fortunately, Grove found help through Season of Sharing, a program based in Sarasota aimed at assisting families in crisis by covering essential expenses. Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, the initiative has disbursed more than $710,000 in aid to over 400 families affected by the storms. They were able to help Grove by covering her rent for both November and December, enabling her to settle some overdue bills.
“The assistance made me cry,” Grove expressed her gratitude. “I couldn’t believe they were willing and able to do that for me.” The residents of Florida’s Gulf Coast region have had to endure the impacts of two significant hurricanes and a tropical storm in just nine weeks, and the economic repercussions are still resonating. The financial burdens extend beyond property damage; they include replacing food lost during power outages, overnight stays in hotels during evacuations, and the loss of wages from being unable to work.
“All of those things, when put together in relation to the limited cash people have available, are truly significant challenges,” explained Sara McTarnaghan, a principal research associate at the Urban Institute. Research indicates that low- and moderate-income households often feel the brunt of these challenges most acutely, as they may lack savings to fall back on. Additionally, renters, the uninsured, and informal or undocumented workers may find themselves excluded from certain forms of assistance. The repercussions of falling behind can lead to ongoing issues such as debt, damaged credit, or even eviction—long after the storms have subsided.
Initiatives like Season of Sharing play a crucial role in addressing these gaps, providing interim support as families await additional assistance. “Providing stability when a family is in chaos is so important,” said Kirsten Russell, vice president of community impact at the Community Foundation of Sarasota, which oversees the program. “When households rebound, communities rebound.”
Residents in Sarasota, DeSoto, Manatee, and Charlotte counties can seek assistance from Season of Sharing by reaching out to the 211 non-emergency helpline or connecting with one of the numerous nonprofits affiliated with the fund. Case managers are available to assist with the application process, and upon approval, the program directly settles the bills.
Although the fund primarily covers expenses related to housing, transportation, childcare, and utilities, it also finds creative solutions for other disaster-related costs. For instance, if a family had a washing machine destroyed by flooding, the fund might assist by covering a mortgage payment, allowing the family some financial breathing room.
Founded 25 years ago by the Community Foundation of Sarasota and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Season of Sharing offers continual support year-round. However, in response to the extraordinary challenges presented by this hurricane season, it has temporarily relaxed application criteria and raised payment limits.
The effectiveness of the program during crises stems from its established reliability and the trust it has built in the community, according to Christina Russi, who has served as a fiscal agent for Season of Sharing for over a decade. “It’s never been flashy. It’s dependable, consistent, and there when it’s needed most,” she noted.
With the aid received from Season of Sharing, Grove has been able to stay focused on her aspirations of transitioning from the restaurant sector to securing a more stable career to support her daughter. She recently obtained her GED and is currently enrolled in prerequisite courses for a college program to become an X-ray technician.
“This support allows me to concentrate on my studies and my daughter without the constant worry about finances. It’s given me the opportunity to take a breath and pursue a better life,” Grove reflected. She initially sought FEMA assistance after Hurricane Helene but was denied, receiving only a modest $770 payment after Hurricane Milton, which she noted was insufficient given her circumstances. “That amount can evaporate in just a couple of days without a paycheck,” she remarked.
The recovery journey for economically vulnerable households following a disaster can often drag on for years, with many never fully regaining their footing. A study from the Urban Institute highlighted that four years post-disaster, individuals with previously good credit saw an average decline of 8 points, whereas those with poor credit experienced a drop of 29 points. “Where issues were already present, they just escalated,” stated Daniel Teles, co-author of the study.
The current disaster-relief systems often miss providing for everyone in need of help, as Teles has observed. “Navigating these aid programs can be complicated, and there are gaps between what federal aid covers and the actual needs of individuals,” he commented, stressing the necessity for changes in public policy to bridge these deficits.
This situation leaves foundations like the one in Sarasota responsible for filling in the relief gaps, with support from their donors. Typically, the Community Foundation of Sarasota conducts fundraisers for Season of Sharing during the holiday months, but they initiated their campaign early this year due to the impact of Hurricane Helene, successfully raising over $3.85 million to date. Among the contributors are significant donations from the Patterson Foundation and local foundations.
As applications for assistance surged in November, the foundation witnessed a notable increase in first-time applicants from individuals who had never sought help before. After enduring such an unprecedented hurricane season, Grove encourages others to embrace available support. “These programs exist for a reason,” she emphasized. “If I adhered strictly to my usual mantra of ‘I’ll figure something out,’ it’s not feasible without any income. So, if help is offered, accepting it is completely alright.”
