It has been nearly one year since Hurricanes Helene and Milton swept through Florida, leaving devastation in their wake. In Hillsborough and Pinellas counties alone, damage to businesses and residents reached nearly $5 billion. Yet alongside the destruction, we have also witnessed rebuilding and resilience, powered by generosity.
After the storms, Community Foundation Tampa Bay and our partners mobilized quickly to provide immediate relief, and we continue to invest in long-term recovery and preparedness in the event of future storms impacting our area.
Relief and Recovery in Action
In the year since Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Community Foundation Tampa Bay has distributed more than $5.1 million in relief and recovery funding to support our region. This investment provided 276 grants to nonprofit organizations and reached more than 222,000 people across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus counties. Nearly every nonprofit we partnered with affirmed the critical role of this support. In fact, out of the organizations that provided an impact report, 97.8% reported that it was essential to fulfilling their mission after the storms.
The first grant was awarded within a week of Hurricane Helene’s landfall, demonstrating how quickly our network of fundholders, partners, and staff were able to mobilize. Local nonprofits could request support through our Critical Needs List, which allowed urgently needed resources to reach our community quickly.
Through this rapid response, organizations such as Feeding Tampa Bay and Metropolitan Ministries provided food, shelter, and other basic needs in the immediate aftermath. Generous fundholders supported this work even while facing losses themselves, embodying the true spirit of Tampa Bay.
“During the harrowing times of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, Metropolitan Ministries emerged as a beacon of hope and support for our community. With the contribution of Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, who provided 15% of the total disaster relief effort budget, we were able to significantly extend our reach and impact.” — Metropolitan Ministries
Resilience for the Future
Recovery is not just about repairing what was lost. It is about building strength for the future. That is why Community Foundation Tampa Bay continues to fund programs that increase preparedness and resilience before a new storm approaches our shores.
One example is the $150,000 Community Foundation Tampa Bay has distributed to Rebuilding Together Greater Florida over the past 12 months. The funding has helped the nonprofit provide critical home repairs, hurricane preparedness kits, and personalized disaster plans for low-income households in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties. These efforts reinforce structural safety, stabilize families, and help communities weather future disasters.
The Invisible Impacts
While physical damage is often visible, hurricanes also leave lasting invisible effects. Families continue to face mental health challenges, financial strain, and interruptions to education. That is why Community Foundation Tampa Bay’s grantmaking extends beyond emergency relief – to fund programs that address trauma, keep kids learning, and sustain critical community services long after the storms have passed.
For example, the I Matter Too Corporation, a local nonprofit supporting abused, neglected, and abandoned children, received $20,000 in relief funding from Community Foundation Tampa Bay. This support helped the organization provide clothing, food, and safe housing to families and children who had lost nearly everything after Hurricane Helene.
“The impact this funding made was literally lifesaving, preventing children at risk of sleeping on the streets or in cars. You placed impoverished children and families into new beds, a safe home and provided food security for them to be nourished during this critical time. In addition, this funding provided groceries and beds for several other foster children who have nothing and needed safety and support. Not only were physical needs met, but the emotional love and support given was felt by every recipient.” — I Matter Too Corporation
Looking Ahead
The experience of the past year has shown that recovery is a long journey, and resilience requires continued investment. Every dollar spent on preparedness today may help prevent significantly greater losses tomorrow. Through philanthropy, we can proactively equip local nonprofits with the flexibility and resources they need to respond when disaster strikes.
“Philanthropy is the bridge between crisis and recovery. It provides the immediate relief that families need, and it also fuels the long-term investments that make our region stronger. At Community Foundation Tampa Bay, we see every act of generosity as part of securing Florida’s future.” — Brandi Sanchez, Senior Director, Community Investment at Community Foundation Tampa Bay
Your Role in Securing Tampa Bay’s Future
As we look to the future, our focus shifts from immediate recovery to lasting stability. Every gift made before the next storm strengthens the safety net that so many will rely on.
Join us in fortifying Tampa Bay’s resilience by contributing to the Tampa Bay Rapid Response Fund. We can create a region where families are not just rebuilding after disasters, they are prepared and thriving.
For more information on how you can support Community Foundation Tampa Bay’s disaster response and recovery efforts, visit cftampabay.org/disaster-relief.
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