SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — "Hurricane Ian had a dramatic impact on everyone here in Sarasota County, particularly in the southern part of the county, in Englewood, in Northport and in Venice," explained Lt. Colonel Michele Matthews, Area Commander for Sarasota County with the Salvation Army.
The Northport services center for the Salvation Army was right in the path of Hurricane Ian, which destroyed the building. The Cape Coral location was also damaged.
"We had some damage to facilities; I think all of our facilities had a little bit of damage, whether it was, you know, signage being torn up or some roof leaks. But we do have a service center in Northport, and that building was destroyed," explained Matthews. "So we are in the midst of all of the relief efforts that we're doing. We're also trying to figure out how we're going to reopen on that piece of property and see what we can do because we know that there's a lot of need that was needed in Northport before this, and the need is even greater now."
The Northport facility operated a food pantry for the community, and it was a hub for casework and assisting people who needed help with rent or utility payments. Pathway of Hope was also operated out of this location, helping families with children to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty, Matthews said.
The nonprofit is working to identify its plan for rebuilding its Northport location. But, for now, a team from Georgia is helping fill the gaps.
"So we were very fortunate in that a Salvation Army disaster response team from Georgia came down and set up in our facility in Venice, and they are doing feeding and other types of services throughout the southern part of the county on a daily basis, allowing us to spend a little bit of time I guess, trying to figure out how we're going to rebuild, what we're going to do, as well as just keeping other programs and services running," explained Matthews.
"We're in the midst of registering families for Christmas assistance. So trying to keep that up. You know, with our sheltering programs, making sure that that folks in the shelter, you know, that staffing is adequate and that everything is going on as it should and those facilities"
In turn, the Salvation Army has sent nearly 200 disaster workers to our area and further south, along with 40 mobile feeding vehicles. They are providing food, hydration and emotional support to those who need it.
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If you or someone you know is in need in Sarasota County due to Hurricane Ian, the Salvation Army recommends registering with FEMA and then reaching out to them for any unmet needs.