• Laura Krueger

One Stop Shop Serves Fort Myers Hurricane Irma Survivors

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s Staff Hosts Irma Recovery Assistance Centers

FORT MYERS, FL – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s staff hosted a comprehensive recovery assistance center in Fort Myers on Thursday, September 21st to help residents affected by Hurricane Irma sign up for assistance from FEMA. The Salvation Army served 400 for breakfast and another 400 for lunch as residents waited in line for available services.

“We’ve been able to bring our partners in like The Salvation Army to provide assistance to folks who have been impacted by the hurricane,” said Todd Reid, Deputy Chief of Staff for U.S. Senator Marco Rubio. “It’s a one-stop shop so people don’t have to go to a dozen different places to try and get help. They can come to one place.”

Other comprehensive recovery assistance centers were held in St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Naples, Fort Myers, and Immokalee this week and included not only The Salvation Army but also American Red Cross, United Way of Florida, Catholic Charities, Florida SBDC Network, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), ElderSource and many others.

“It’s really important because it gives people peace of mind that they have somewhere to go, and that they have folks to care about them,” said Reid. “It also gets them in front of somebody rather than calling a 1-800 number and waiting on hold for an hour and a half or so, only to have questions that can’t be answered.”

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis also hosted an insurance village comprised of property insurance companies at each location which provided on-site assistance to policyholders to file a claim, ask questions and obtain needed insurance assistance and information. This was a public/private partnership of federal and state agencies, charitable organizations and companies gathering to provide critical resources.

“My office stands ready to assist the people of Florida as they recover and rebuild after the devastation of Hurricane Irma,” said Rubio. “I’ve seen firsthand the damage inflicted across the state, and it is my hope that these assistance centers will bring some relief for Floridians who suffered hardship from the storm. I would also like to thank all of the organizations, companies, and government agencies who are participating in this effort for their willingness and assistance during this difficult time. The people of Florida are resilient and I know that together we will get through these tough times. My office and I are here to help you.”