Red Cross provides grant to beef up Community Development Corporation's storm response

Help on the way for hurricane victims

FOX 13's Evan Axelbank shares the effort underway to get help to people who still need it after the recent hurricanes.

TAMPA - Caseworkers at the Community Development Corporation of Tampa found that those living in areas already hard hit by hunger, housing shortages and lack of jobs were the most impacted by the storms.

"It's teary, they're in a crisis, which puts you in a crisis because you want to do everything you can to help them," said Lafe Eastman of the Community Development Corporation of Tampa.

They announced Monday that the Red Cross is providing a $1 million grant to establish two disaster recovery centers.

"They, before the storms, weren't prepared for those storms," said Dr. Chamain Moss-Torres, the CDC's COO. "And after the storms hit, they didn't have the resources that they need in order to recover."

One will be in East Tampa and one in St. Pete, that will hook up disaster-stricken residents with food, home repairs and jobs.

There will also be a mobile unit.

What they're saying:

"They'll be able to use that education to prepare, recover," said Moss-Torres. "They would also be able to find places to go after the storm to get the support that they need."

After last year's hurricanes, the Red Cross says they helped 473,000 people across ten states get three million meals and 57,000 hotel stays.

Big picture view:

The partnership between non-profits is key moving forward.

"All nonprofits across the community, across the country, are going to be asked to do more because the federal government, unfortunately, is going to do less for people," said Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa). "But you don't want your neighbors to fall through the cracks."

READ: Sarasota County addresses Phillippi Creek concerns as residents brace for hurricane season

With some residents in East Tampa still in need of help from previous storms, the recovery centers will be on call right away.

"If we get someone back to work and feeling good about themselves earning a wage with an industry certification, they can then take care of themselves and their families," said Eastman.

The centers will be offering mental health, religious services and even financial literacy and assistance with insurance navigation.

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