Manatee Community Foundation Activates Disaster Relief Fund After Hurricane Debby

Organizations tirelessly serving Manatee County residents receive $40,000 in aid

MANATEE COUNTY, FLORIDA – September 12, 2024 – In the wake of Hurricane Debby, Manatee Community Foundation (MCF) partnered with donors to engage in relief efforts through generous contributions to its Disaster Relief Fund. Many nonprofit organizations in Manatee County affected by unprecedented flooding received Disaster Relief Grants, which enabled them to continue to serve their clients.

“A reason our region can thrive is the presence of the strong nonprofit network we enjoy, unlike many other areas in our country where social services, animal welfare, education, and beyond rest only on the efforts of local government. The support our community receives from nonprofit organizations is crucial to the success of our community,” says Veronica Thames, MCF’s Executive Director. “Thanks to the incredible generosity of our caring donors and the unwavering support of our Board and staff, MCF was able to swiftly activate this fund in response to the impacts of Hurricane Debby and come to the aide of nonprofits that work tirelessly to uplift our citizens, ensuring that those most affected receive the help they need to rebuild and recover."

The fund provided significant aid to the following organizations:

Family Promise of Sarasota-Manatee, which helps prevent child homelessness, dedicated grant funding to provide case management to Manatee County residents and to help shelter those who have been displaced by Hurricane Debby.

Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson's used their grant to reprint community resource guides damaged in the storm.

Children's Home Society of Florida, which partners with local schools to empower students for lifelong success, will be able to replenish community pantries depleted during the storm at Manatee Elementary and Daughtrey Elementary schools.

Anchor House, a facility which provides training skills, educational advancement, counseling, and practical experience to youth in crisis, used funding to make urgent repairs to the facility which sustained serious damage during the storm.

Keep Manatee Beautiful, which fosters grassroots solutions to littering, illegal dumping, solid waste disposal, recycling, and beautification, received aid for community clean-up supplies and staffing for Hurricane Debby debris pickup.

Operation Warrior Resolution, a leader in innovative, holistic mental health care for veterans and their families at no cost, supported veterans with home repairs after the hurricane with the grant allocation.

Manatee Children’s Services, which provides resources, skills, and shelter to alleviate child abuse, used their grant for emergency staffing and supplies.

Humane Society of Manatee County, which provides exceptional care for the animals in our community, received aid to repair canopies and electric infrastructure damaged during the storm.

Making An Impact, which provides information and access to community resources, equipped Manatee County first responders with 100 disaster information kits for residents in high-risk areas.

Bridge a Life provides impactful support to foster and adoptive families. Through the grant received, they provided immediate relief to families negatively impacted by the storm, including a family that lost their home and another their transportation, due to the storm

“Having near immediate access to funds made available through MCF helped these families, and others like them, return to a sense of normalcy and reduced their stress,” says Jody Jester, Bridge a Life’s Executive Director. “We're so thankful for the generosity of our community and for their willingness to respond quickly."

MCF is particularly grateful to Mosaic for its partnership and generosity in supporting these grants, showcasing its continual dedication to giving back to the community.

Whatever further challenges may arise for Manatee County and the organizations dedicated to its well-being, MCF and its partners are wholeheartedly committed to their support.

For information on ways to invest in our community, visit www.manateecf.org.

Caption for photos: Flooding at Neuro Challenges office due to heavy rains from Hurricane Debby

About Manatee Community Foundation (MCF): Manatee Community Foundation (MCF) is a charitable organization founded in 1998. MCF partners with our citizens to strengthen and enhance our community through philanthropy, education, and service – now and forever.  MCF is the bridge between generous donors, business leaders, our government, and nonprofit partners, who work together so that everyone can thrive because together, we can do greater things. MCF has invested over $62 million dollars in the areas of health and human services, education, arts and culture, the environment, and animal welfare and is committed to its diversity, equity, inclusion and access work. As the only community foundation in Manatee serving the entire county and beyond, MCF is your partner in philanthropy, a trusted steward of charitable legacies and the guide for current giving through donor advised funds and beyond.  See more information about Manatee Community Foundation at www.manateecf.org.

For media inquiries or additional information, please contact:

Veronica Thames | Vthames@ManateeCF.org | 941.747.7765