In the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, local seniors shared heartbreaking stories of enduring rising flood waters, sleepless nights on soaking mattresses, and being stranded for days in their high-rise apartments with no electricity, air conditioning, or working elevators. With no nearby family or support system, many faced these crises alone.
Their stories inspired Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay to launch the Senior Disaster Support Program, a new initiative to ensure no senior is left to face a storm alone.
Many seniors face mobility limitations, health concerns, and isolation, making them especially vulnerable during hurricanes. The program focuses on senior communities, including mobile home parks and apartment complexes, that were hit hardest by recent hurricanes or are at high risk for future storms.
Each month, Seniors in Service hosts events within these communities to provide hurricane preparedness tools, recovery resources, and, most importantly, meaningful connections. By helping neighbors get to know one another, the program builds a trusted support network that seniors can rely on before, during, and after a disaster.
The Senior Disaster Support Program tackles two serious challenges facing older adults in Tampa Bay. It reduces the loneliness that so many seniors experience by helping neighbors build lasting connections, and it prepares communities to respond and recover together when hurricanes hit. By strengthening both relationships and readiness, we’re creating safer, more resilient senior communities.
Opportunities to help include:
- Volunteer: Help host monthly meetings, lead hurricane preparedness training, deliver supplies, or provide post-storm emotional support.
- Adopt-a-Senior Community: Rally your group to build meaningful connections by supporting a senior community for a full year, leading workshops, distributing hurricane preparedness materials, and hosting monthly activities.
- Donate: Provide vital resources like disaster kits, emergency supplies, and volunteer training to ensure seniors are ready for any storm.
For more information, visit SeniorsInService.org/Senior-Disaster-Support.
