Use this guide to find the post-storm information and resources that you need to move forward. And if you were not majorly affected by Hurricane Ian, there are ways you can support members of the community who were.
Navigating financial assistance
Whether you’re a student who is currently displaced because of damage to your off-campus housing, a faculty or staff member who is seeking assistance in managing home damage or a local business owner who has been seriously impacted by the storm- there are financial resources available to help you through this challenging time:
- Visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s DisasterAssistance.gov and fill out a short quiz to identify various funds, loans and programs you might be eligible for.
- For an accessible video on how to apply for FEMA assistance, watch “FEMA Accessible: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance” which outlines the process.
- Apply for The Flagler College Cares: Emergency Relief Fund that provides financial assistance in times of crisis.
- Students can complete an application by reaching out to Financial Aid at financialaid@flagler.edu.
- Employees can complete an application by reaching out to Shari Stanford in HR at sstanford@flagler.edu.
Supporting the community
If you were largely unimpacted by Hurricane Ian, there are a few ways you can help your peers and community members through the aftermath of the storm:
Donate to Paw’s Pantry
This on-campus food pantry provides free food and personal hygiene supplies to any and all students on campus. The pantry is located in the Ringhaver Student Center and a mobile sister pantry is run out of Abare Commons.
- Drop off donations at the Student Affairs Suite in the Student Center, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. Paw’s is seeking canned foods, non-perishable foods and hygiene products like toilet paper and tampons.
Give to Flagler’s Emergency Relief Fund
The Flagler College Cares: Emergency Relief Fund could be in high demand following the storm, and you can help bolster its ability to disperse funding to students, faculty and staff.
- To donate visit flagler.edu/supportand select “Flagler College Cares: Emergency Relief” from the “Please direct my support to:” dropdown menu.
Support a state-wide recovery effort
- Donate to the United Way of Florida Disaster Recovery Fund to support areas of the state that were more heavily impacted by the storm. To direct your gift to a specific location, make a note specifying this in the "Note for the Donor Scroll" section of the donation page.
- To get involved with hands-on volunteering in impacted areas, visit Volunteer Florida’s webpage to find opportunities through organizations to distribute meals, help with debris clean up, and assist with other needs.
Checking in on mental health
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “It’s normal for hurricanes to cause people to experience emotional distress. Feelings such as overwhelming anxiety, constant worrying, trouble sleeping, and other depression-like symptoms are common responses before, during, and after these types of storms.”
Finding support
- Call or text SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 for support and counseling.
- Make an appointment with Flagler’s Counseling Center by reaching out to counseling@flagler.edu.
- Reference this guide by The National Child Traumatic Stress Network to help assess your mental state and start seeking solutions.
Handling home damage
Depending on where you live, you may have experienced extremely disruptive home damage from Hurricane Ian.
If you are an insured homeowner who experienced damage, be sure you have documented any storm damage so that you can accurately file an insurance claim.
St. Johns County residents or business owners can call the St. Johns County Building Services Structural Hotline at 904-827-6836 for concerns about storm-related structural damage. If you are within the City of St. Augustine limits, you can reach out to 904-209-4327.
Ask for help
You don’t need to handle your home damage alone, leave any work you’re unsure you can handle up to a contractor or crisis clean-up crew.
- Reach out to the St. Johns County Home Cleanup Hotline at 800-451-1954 to be connected to a network of volunteers ready to help cut fallen trees, remove drywall, flooring, and appliances, tarp roofs, and start mold mitigation (services are free and the hotline will be open through Oct. 28).
- Seek cleanup help from the Crisis Cleanup hotline at 800-451-1954 or by visiting crisiscleanup.org.
Staying informed
- Sign up for the St. Johns County Emergency Notification System to receive time-sensitive messages by phone, text or email with information about “severe weather, unexpected road closures, water advisories, missing persons, evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods and incidents that may threaten public safety.”
- Find a free WiFi hotspot through Comcast- 90,000 public Xfinity WiFi hotspots statewide for free public use.
- If your power has yet to be restored, you can look on the Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) Storm Center page and the Jacksonville Electric Authority (JAE) Storm Center page.
- Check out the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce Hurricane Ian Recovery page for a compilation of various help post-hurricane information, resources and useful contacts.
