Impacted by Hurricane Milton? Resources and programs for recovery

ORLANDO, Fl - Florida residents affected by Hurricane Milton can access various resources for relief, government assistance, and ways to contribute to recovery efforts:

Government and non-profit assistance 

• The Red Cross provides emergency financial help, shelter, and transitional support through their hotline at 1-800-RED-CROSS.
• Samaritan’s Purse offers free assistance for homeowners, including debris removal and home cleanup. Their hotline is 1-833-747-1234.
• The Florida Baptists Disaster Relief organization also offers free assistance by calling 904-253-0502.
• Crisis Cleanup (844-965-1386) provides services like debris and tree removal and mucking out flooded homes​.

Volunteering and Donations:

• Volunteer Florida connects individuals with volunteer opportunities such as property removal, flood cleanup, and debris management. You can register via VolunteerFlorida.org.
• To help financially, you can donate to reputable organizations like the Red Cross or Salvation Army, as well as the Florida Disaster Fund, which is also accepting donations​.

Hurricane Milton recovery in Florida

• Hope Florida's, Activate Hope, pulls together the private sector, nonprofits, and government resources to help Floridians get back on their feet following a natural disaster. They have an online form that Florida residents can fill out to request help.
• The Florida Division of Emergency Management also has a resource page that provides information and updates on Hurricane Milton recovery efforts.

D-SNAP disaster food relief

The Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP), also known as disaster food stamps, helps you pay for food if you live in a state with an Individual Assistance declaration from the president. 

D-SNAP provides funds on an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card to pay for food. 

You can receive D-SNAP if you live in a disaster area, and you are facing:

• A loss of income because of the disaster
• Costly expenses because of the disaster
• Evacuation or relocation expenses
• A personal injury related to the disaster

SBA Disaster Loan

The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers low-interest loans after a disaster. The loans can help businesses of all sizes, nonprofit organizations, and individual households.

The loans can pay for: 

• Repair or replacement of physical damages
• Expenses that your business’ or homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover
• Personal expenses

SBA disaster loans cover a variety of different losses after a disaster, including:

• Business Physical Disaster Loan - provides for the repair or replacement of buildings, machinery, fixtures, and inventory
• Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) - assists with operational costs whether or not a disaster caused physical damage to a business
• Home and personal property loans - helps homeowners and renters replace or repair damaged homes, cars, appliances, furniture, and clothing
• Military Reservists Economic Injury Loans - helps businesses cover operational expenses if an essential employee is called to duty as a military reservist

Unemployment benefits 

You may qualify for disaster unemployment assistance if you: 

• Lost your job as a direct result of a presidentially declared disaster
• Do not already receive unemployment benefits
• Cannot reach your job because of the disaster
• Cannot work because of a disaster-related injury

You can find Florida unemployment information here. 

Hurricane Milton: How to apply for FEMA assistance

Visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/current/hurricane-milton

Download the FEMA mobile app

FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362

Florida State Assistance Information Line

Call 1-800-342-3557 to reach the Florida State Assistance Line for information on resources. Available in English, Spanish, and Creole.

Disaster Legal Hotline

Available to discuss potential eligibility with FEMA and SBA assistance, insurance claims, contractor issues, eviction issues, home and title ownership related to a disaster. Legal assistance is free. Representation not guaranteed, per FloridaDisaster.org website.

Call 833-514-2940. 

Available 24/7.

How to volunteer

VolunteerFlorida helps residents and organizations get connected to better assist Floridians in need. 

You can visit VolunteerFlorida.org/VolunteerConnect/ to either register as a volunteer or register your volunteer organization.