Governor Ron DeSantis Launches Donation Portal for Southwest Florida Tornado Survivors Following Federal Government’s Decision to Deny Assistance
Following the federal government's denial of Florida's request to provide assistance to individuals impacted by the tornadoes that touched down in Charlotte and Lee counties on January 16, Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) launched a donation portal to provide immediate relief for disaster survivors impacted by the tornadoes. The donation portal is available at FloridaDisaster.org/Assistance.
“We cannot continue waiting on the federal government to provide relief to these Floridians,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “After meeting with survivors last week, it’s clear they still need our help. We’ve helped community leaders launch this portal to expedite assistance for impacted residents and we’re going to ensure they get help.”
“These donations are going to directly provide assistance to our disaster survivors who need it most,” said FDEM Director Kevin Guthrie. “The Division is working around the clock to connect disaster survivors with this vital resource, which will help them recover faster and begin to rebuild after experiencing extensive devastation.”
The State of Florida is partnering with the Charlotte Community Foundation to collect and disburse donations for disaster survivors. All donations made through the FloridaDisaster.org/Assistance portal are tax deductible.
At this time, donations will be prioritized for survivors whose homes were assessed as being destroyed or sustaining major damage, per FEMA criteria through previous Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments. The State is coordinating with Charlotte and Lee counties to connect survivors directly with the portal.
Disaster survivors can also request assistance at FloridaDisaster.org/Assistance. This page provides disaster survivors with information on how to register an account through the portal and how to request assistance.
If you are a survivor whose home was determined to be destroyed or sustaining major damage, you can call 833-930-3707 to be connected with the donation portal. The donation portal call center is available to survivors seven days a week from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Updated: Tuesday, February 22, 2022
