Hurricane Resources & Recovery
Our community has be greatly impacted by Hurricane Milton, check out this information and resources for Polk, Highlands and Hardee Counties to support and strengthen your family during this time:
Get Started
- Call 211 to get expert, caring help.
- Hope Florida - Connect with Hope Navigators to get connected to resources tailored to your situation. Call 833-GET-HOPE. Hope Florida's Hurricane Helene & Milton Relief
- Find Help - Discover helpful resources near you.
- United Way of Central Florida's Natural Disaster Resources and Recovery
- Find Food - Food pantries throughout Polk, Highlands and Hardee Counties (be sure to call beforehand as some may be temporarily closed due to storm damage.)
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The State Assistance Information Line (SAIL) is active 24/7 call 1-800-342-3557. There are English, Spanish & Haitian Creole speakers available to answer questions.
- Teladoc Health is offering free medical appointments for non-emergency needs. Call 855-225-5032 to get set up — for life-threatening emergencies, call 911.
Disaster Relief for Polk County
Hope Florida's Hurricane Helene & Milton Relief
Request Disaster Relief Volunteers - email to AprylFaurote@polk-county.net or MichelleShiver@polk-county.net
For more information, please call the Citizens Information Line at (863) 298-7500 between 7AM-7PM
Food/Water Distribution:
- Lakes Church - 1010 E Memorial Blvd, Lakeland
- Serving 10,000 free hot meals for 10 days starting October 14 from 4PM-6PM.
- Lakeland - Walker Road Park, 1285 Walker Road (Open daily from 9AM-6PM until supplies last)
- Lakeland - Gator Creek Preserve, 9725 US Hwy 98 N (Open daily from 9AM-6PM until supplies last)
- Frostproof - Family Life Church, 139 Bulldog Way (Open daily from 9AM-6PM until supplies last)
- Mulberry - Civic Center, 901 NE Fifth St. (Open daily from 9AM-6PM until supplies last)
- Red Cross Disaster Assistance - 4200 State Rd 60, Mulberry, FL 33860 1PM - 6PM
- Polk County Government Disaster Assistance
- Distribution sites will be open from 8AM-6PM every day until power is restored and commercial supplies are available.
- Walker Road Park – 1035 Walker Road, Lakeland (Access to this site is available via Swindell Rd to the south)
- Gator Creek Reserve – 9725 US Highway 98 N., Lakeland
- Family Life Church – 139 Bulldog Way, Frostproof
- Mulberry Civic Center – 901 N.E. Fifth St., Mulberry
- SNAP Food Replacement (for current SNAP recipients ONLY) - SNAP Recipients who lost food due to Hurricane Milton can apply for food replacement by completing the form below. To apply, individuals must:
- Be a current SNAP Recipient
- Complete the form by October 19th, 2024.
- Households are required to provide verification of having a power outage of 4 or more hours or damage that caused food loss to their MYACCESS Account, except for households located in Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Desoto, Flagler, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, and Volusia.
Debris Haulers:
Businesses:
- Crunch Fitness Lakeland - Offering free workout, hot showers and ability to charge devices for members and non-members.
Safety & Shelter:
Financial Assistance:
Clean Up & Debris Removal
Legal/Documentation Help:
- Disaster Legal Hotline is open to assist and refer callers - 833-514-2940
- Florida Rural Legal Services – Polk, Highlands & Hardee
- IRS Disaster Hotline - 866-562-5227
Long-Term Recovery
Disaster Relief for Highlands County
Highlands County Damage Assessment Survey
Hope Florida's Hurricane Helene & Milton Relief
AC & Charging Electronics:
- Red’s Auto Options 106 W Main St, Avon Park, FL 33825 (863) 453-2665
Clean-Up Efforts:
Roofing:
- Reimagine Roofing - 480-935-8553
- David J. Marley Roofing Contractors, Inc - 877-572-4640
Emergency Management Drive Through Pick-Up for Resources:
- AVON PARK - South Florida State College, 600 W. College Drive
- Traffic will need to turn onto College Drive from U.S. 27, use entrance 1 and follow all traffic control devices and flagmen through the POD, then exit back out onto College Drive.
- SEBRING - Sebring Health Department parking lot, 7205 S. George Blvd.
- Traffic will need to turn onto State Road 66 from U.S. 27, then turn onto South George Boulevard and follow all traffic control devices and flagmen through the POD, then exit back out to South George Boulevard to U.S. 27.
- The public will not be able to access the POD from U.S. 27.
- LAKE PLACID - Lake Placid High School track field, off Interlake Boulevard
- Traffic will need use Interlake Boulevard to South Main Street, then take Marquata Drive and follow all traffic control devices and flagmen to enter the distribution area, then exit back out onto Green Dragon Drive.
Food Pantries:
Safety & Shelter:
Legal/Documentation Help:
- Disaster Legal Hotline is open to assist and refer callers - 833-514-2940
- Florida Rural Legal Services – Polk, Highlands & Hardee
- IRS Disaster Hotline - 866-562-5227
Long-Term Recovery
Disaster Relief for Hardee County
Hope Florida's Hurricane Helene & Milton Relief
Hardee Help Center - 863-773-0034
Food:
- SNAP Food Replacement (for current SNAP recipients ONLY) - SNAP Recipients who lost food due to Hurricane Milton can apply for food replacement by completing the form below. To apply, individuals must:
- Be a current SNAP Recipient
- Complete the form by October 19th, 2024.
- Households are required to provide verification of having a power outage of 4 or more hours or damage that caused food loss to their MYACCESS Account, except for households located in Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Desoto, Flagler, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, and Volusia.
Clean Up & Debris Removal:
Legal/Documentation Help:
- Disaster Legal Hotline is open to assist and refer callers - 833-514-2940
- Florida Rural Legal Services – Polk, Highlands & Hardee
- IRS Disaster Hotline - 866-562-5227
Long-Term Recovery
Other Resources
- Business Damage Assessment – Businesses are encouraged to complete the Business Damage Assessment Survey: floridadisaster.biz/BusinessDamageAssessments. Responses will allow the state to expedite hurricane recovery efforts.
- Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available to Florida businesses and residents whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of a hurricane. For DUA claims information, call 1-833-FL-APPLY (1-833-352-7759) to speak with a representative. The deadline to submit a claim for DUA benefits is TBD.
- Economic Injury Disaster Loans – For small businesses or private nonprofit organizations that sustained economic injury and are located in a disaster-declared county or contiguous county.
- FEMA – For all forms of disaster assistance, register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA mobile app. If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362.
- The Florida Highway Patrol has deployed Florida Licenses on Wheels to provide driver’s licenses, vehicle tags, and title replacements. This service is located at the Hertz Arena in Fort Myers and is open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.
- Helping Children Cope with Disaster – To request these free informative booklets, email femapubs@gpo.gov.
- SBA Disaster Loans – Disaster loans for businesses of all sizes located in declared disaster areas, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters affected by declared disasters.
- Here is a list of possible scams that may target hurricane survivors:
- Disaster survivors should be aware that con artists and criminals may try to apply for FEMA assistance using names, addresses, and Social Security numbers they have stolen from survivors
- If a FEMA inspector comes to your home and you have not filed a FEMA application, your information may have been used without your knowledge. Tell the inspector you did not apply for FEMA assistance.
- If you did not apply for assistance but received a letter from FEMA, please call the helpline at 800-621-3362 any day between 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET.
- FEMA will only reach out if you have already applied for assistance. If you are contacted by someone asking you to apply for FEMA assistance or if you question someone’s intent, contact your local law enforcement agency.
- Be cautious if somebody asks for your nine-digit application number. A FEMA inspector will not ask for this. They already have it in their records and may provide it to you to confirm they are interacting with the correct person.
- FEMA inspectors never ask for or confirm banking information.
- Ask the inspector to show you their identification badge. Federal and contracted employees always wear an official government badge to identify themselves.
- Don’t trust someone who asks for money. Federal and local disaster workers do not solicit or accept money. FEMA and staff from the Small Business Administration never charge for inspections or help in filling out a disaster assistance application.
- Don’t believe anyone who promises a disaster grant and asks for large cash deposits or advance payments in full.
- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has information on how rental scams work. For instance, scammers know finding the right apartment or vacation rental can be hard work, and a seemingly good deal is hard to pass up when you need a place to stay. Learn more at consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0079-rental-listing-scams.
Mental & Emotional Support
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Storm Updates
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Polk County:
Highlands County:
Hardee County:
Storm Preparation
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Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
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Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)
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