Updated as of 10/13/2022

To our Florida Community,

Home Base Florida wants you to know we are here to support Veterans, Service Members, Military Families and Families of the Fallen impacted by Hurricane Ian and those who continue to recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Fiona.

At this time, we are happy to report that our Home Base Florida colleagues and their families are safe. 

We are also happy to announce that our partner facilities at David Lawrence Center, Florida Gulf Coast University, and Lee Health are now open and fully operational. 

To learn more about clinical and wellness services available to Veterans, Service Members and Military Families through Home Base Florida, please email homebasefl@partners.org or call 239-338-8389.

Resources:

• The Wound Warrior Program Priority Hurricane Resource Line is available at 877-605-6546.
• The Salvation Army is providing food, drinks, shelter, emotional and spiritual care and other emergency services to survivors and rescue workers.
• Operation Blue Roof provides homeowners and permanently occupied rental properties in disaster areas with fiber-reinforced sheeting to cover their damaged roofs until arrangements can be made for permanent repairs.
• U-Haul is offering 30 days of free self-storage and U-Box® container usage at 43 Florida facilities to residents who stand to be impacted by Hurricane Ian.
• Lyft is activating their LyftUp Disaster Response program to provide access to free and discounted rides to help those affected in Florida move to designated shelters and critical resources. Rides can be accessed using code IANRELIEF22, valid for two rides up to $15 each, from now until October 7 at 11:59pm, or while rides are available.
• Lee TeleHealth makes it easy to talk to a doctor. Simply select a physician and connect. Our physicians are U.S. trained and board certified.
• FEMA’s Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams (DSAT) are working in the hardest hit communities to help survivors register for assistance and identify immediate and emerging threats. 
• If you need assistance with damage from Hurricane Ian, call the Crisis Cleanup Hotline at 800-451-1954 to ask for help. They will connect you with volunteers from local relief organizations, community groups and faith communities who may be able to assist with cutting fallen trees; drywall, flooring and appliance removal; tarping roofs; and mold mitigation.

Additional Resources, from Mass General Brigham:

Hurricane Ian

To assist with the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian, 13 Mass General Brigham (MGB) employees were deployed to Florida as part of a 30-member National Disaster Medical System Disaster Medical Assistance Team from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. If you are looking for ways to help, here is a list of agencies assisting those affected:

• Direct Relief will use contributions for relief and recovery efforts.
• The American Red Cross is helping hurricane victims with supplies, shelter and other relief. There is also an urgent need for blood donations; learn more about blood drives in your area here or call 1-800-733-2767.
• Feeding Florida, which is part of the national food bank nonprofit Feeding America, is coordinating with food banks across the state to provide food to victims.
• Farm Share is a Florida nonprofit that gathers leftover fruits and vegetables from farms and distributes them to people across the state.
• The Florida Disaster Fund coordinates aid across governmental and nongovernmental organizations in the state.
• Convoy of Hope is a nonprofit delivering supplies to victims. Its donation page details what your contribution provides for a family. For example, $15 creates a family hygiene kit.
• CORE is a global disaster relief organization that began its work by helping victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. The nonprofit is providing support to people in Florida.
• The Community Emergency Operations Center is collecting food and supplies to deliver to hurricane victims. It is run by Dream Defenders, a Florida nonprofit supporting Black and Brown young people across the state.
• Volunteer Florida has a list of in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities. Opportunities include joining a Red Cross Disaster Action Team that provides 24-hour support and a Disaster Mental Health team to help Floridians with long-term recovery from trauma.

Hurricane Fiona

More than a million residents in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic were left without power and running water after Hurricane Fiona struck. The aftermath of major flooding and damaged infrastructure are of significant concern for those living in these areas – many of whom are still dealing with the destructive impact of Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Below is a list of organizations providing relief to the affected areas:

• World Central Kitchen provides relief by immediately serving chef-prepared meals to communities impacted by natural disasters and during prolonged humanitarian crises. 
• Hispanic Federation is on the ground in Puerto Rico providing emergency relief services and essential supplies to the communities most affected by the storm. The Hispanic Federation is also in the process of identifying non-governmental organizations in the Dominican Republic to support local relief efforts.
• PRxPR: Relief & Rebuild Fund, which is a private, non-partisan, no overhead fund, was created to help Puerto Rico in the aftermath of two deeply devastating and unprecedented hurricanes. 
• Taller Salud is a community-based feminist organization dedicated to improving women’s access to healthcare, reducing violence within the community and encouraging economic growth through education and activism.
• GlobalGiving is a nonprofit that supports other nonprofits by connecting them to donors and companies. Donations to the Hurricane Fiona Relief Fund will provide immediate and long-term relief in affected communities.
• ConPRmetidos is a federally recognized nonprofit with a 10-year track record of local impact on the island. Support for the FionaReliefPR.com campaign will provide much needed emergency relief to families living in these devastated areas.

More information about ways to support impacted areas can be found here. 

In addition, the MGB Employee Assistance Program is available to staff for support and helpful resources.

Support for employees

The MGB Employee Assistance Program is always available to staff with support and helpful resources. The Emergency Preparedness team also reminds you of how to be prepared for any type of extreme weather event.