Last week, Department of Children and Families (DCF) Sec. Shevaun Harris highlighted the state’s commitment to the families impacted by Hurricane Ian.
Throughout the recovery and response efforts to the storm, the Department has worked to provide early and replacement benefits to families, establish a Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) program in record time, create a Family Support Line and consolidated First Responder Support Line, and deploy counseling services to impacted communities through the Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) and door to door in neighborhoods.
The Department has provided:
More than $155 million in D-SNAP benefits to over 255,000 households.
More than $57 million in replacement SNAP benefits to over 286,000 households.
Additional food assistance for families who receive SNAP benefits, including providing more than $75 million to over 349,000 families.
Additionally, Harris highlighted the donations from partners and their dedication to bringing aid to the families impacted by Hurricane Ian. Together we have been able to provide 250 pallets of infant and toddler supplies including diapers, wipes, baby food and formula; 984 mother and baby supply kits, including formula, dry baby food, bottles, diaper rash ointment, breast pumps, and thermometers; 150 tarps from the Florida National Guard; and 5 pallets of donated toys to First Lady Casey DeSantis’ Toy Drive.
These donations have been delivered to 37 partners across areas hardest hit by Hurricane Ian, including Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hendry, Lee, Osceola, and Volusia counties, over the last six weeks. Donors include Amazon, CVS Health, Walgreens, Simply Health, Sunshine Health Plan, Wal-Mart, Community Care Partners, Dentaquest, Salvation Army, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, Florida Kid Care, Save the Children, Better Together, Feeding Florida, and countless others.
Thus far the Department and partners have distributed:
118,788 infant and toddler meals,
11,520 adult meals, and
Toys delivered to over 1,000 children.
These donations from the Department have served more than 17,800 families as they recover from Hurricane Ian.
Since the storm, the Department has worked to surge additional mental health resources that are available for Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian, including providing crisis counseling services to over 15,000 individuals.
“Under the leadership of Governor and First Lady DeSantis, the Department immediately activated our resources and partners to surge the area with supports,” said Harris. “I am so proud of all that has been accomplished. We have seen the devastating impact this storm had on communities across this state, but we at the Department are dedicated to staying in these communities for as long as we are needed.”
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