Florida teaming up with agencies to help hurricane recovery

PERRY, Fla. (WCTV/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) - Federal money is now available to help people recover from Hurricane Idalia.

President Joe Biden approved the disaster declaration Thursday afternoon. It’s just a portion of the relief coming to people affected by the storm.

Hundreds of people lined up for supplies outside Crosspoint Baptist Church in Perry on Thursday.

“We went through a living hell, but God brought us out,” Eddie Robinson said.

Robinson has lived in Perry for several years. She’s one of thousands of people in Taylor County looking for help after Hurricane Idalia went through as a strong category 3 storm Wednesday.

“It’s amazing. I didn’t expect it to happen this soon. But God sent everyone to help us through,” Robinson said.

Fast relief was the goal for Gov. Ron DeSantis. At the state emergency operations center in Tallahassee Thursday morning, he said the state is helping with more than a thousand requests from counties across the Big Bend.

“Things that may be necessary, particularly in some of these hard-hit areas. Fuel, water, MRE’s tarps, all that stuff. We have an abundance of and we’ll be providing that as needed,” Gov. DeSantis said.

It’s not just the state that’s offering support. Global Empowerment Mission showed up at Crosspoint Baptist right after the storm to help hand out food and water.

“The needs are immediately after. That’s why. The community need is not 12 hours later, 36 hours later, so that’s why it’s really important for us to be here the minute something happens,” Global Empowerment Mission Vice President Emily Fullmer

Fullmer helps run the Miami-based nonprofit. Global Empowerment Mission is an organization that helps feed communities after disasters, primarily hurricanes.

“It’s a blessing. It’s a blessing,” Robinson said.

Fullmer said her group will be in town as long they are needed.

If you want to help with the relief efforts, you can find a list of places to donate here. If you’re in need of help, you can access a list of resources here.

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