Response Updates

Hurricane Milton Response: Distribution of Relief Supplies Is Underway

USA Reported by Convoy of Hope

October 30, 2024 | 2:45 p.m.

Convoy of Hope often works with local churches and organizations to serve more people in the aftermath of a disaster. Hurricane Milton blew through Florida as a Category 3 hurricane and left behind major flooding, tree damage, and power outages. Even three weeks later, areas of the state’s Gulf Coast are still flooded. 

This is the reality for residents of Zephyrhills, Florida. Convoy is partnering with local church Kingdom Headquarters to distribute much-needed relief supplies to Zephyrhills residents. The church already runs monthly distributions for their community, with 50 families on average attending. After Hurricane Milton, 150 families came through the Kingdom Headquarters distribution and received relief supplies like food, water, cleaning supplies, and hygiene kits. 

“The number one requested item is the hygiene kits. When we saw all the boxes and all the products included, that was awesome,” said Tatiana Rodriguez, Kingdom Headquarters’ Family and Ministry Coordinator. 

So far, Convoy has served more than 44,000 people in 25 communities in our Hurricane Milton response, and we’re not done. Convoy is in it for the long haul. Donate today and help us serve more people.

October 18, 2024 | 11:35 a.m.

To provide hope in every storm, Convoy of Hope works with partners who share a similar passion for helping vulnerable people. That’s why we teamed up with Chick-fil-A, Spartan Nash, and The Home Depot Foundation this week to bring hope to thousands of people affected by Hurricane Milton.

Convoy of Hope and its great partners at Chick-fil-A worked together at a distribution site in Venice, Florida, this week. Together, more than 3,200 hot, fresh chicken sandwiches were handed out to storm survivors alongside relief supplies like water, tarps, and hygiene kits.

“We can accomplish so much more when organizations and groups come together to make a big difference,” said Chick-fil-A CEO Andrew Cathy, who helped hand out meals at the distribution. 

Convoy has distributed hundreds of thousands of pounds of essential relief supplies since Milton passed through Florida. That total includes buckets of cleaning supplies from friends at The Home Depot Foundation, which served more than 500 families.

“Just that people are caring … it warms my heart,” said one woman who received such a kit.

Convoy has served tens of thousands of Floridians in the week since Hurricane Milton made landfall. For us, this is a long-term response, which means we won’t be leaving affected communities for some time. We are committed to offering hope for the long-haul and giving survivors the support they need to rebuild their lives.

October 16, 2024 | 4:13 p.m.

Convoy’s disaster response in the United States often includes drive-thru distribution, where our team sets up in a large parking lot and creates a space where cars drive through a line and receive relief supplies from team members and volunteers.

But disasters often leave some people unable to leave their homes. Whether it’s because of mobility limitations, lack of transportation, or debris blocking their way, not every person in need can make it to a drive-thru distribution. 

That’s why Convoy of Hope also completes mobile distributions, where team members, volunteers, and partners deliver supplies to residents who are unable to leave their homes. In partnership with a local church, Convoy of Hope has served more than 900 families in the Sarasota, Florida, area after Hurricane Milton left communities devastated.

October 14, 2024 | 3:20 p.m.

Nearly 350,000 people are still without power in Florida. For those who lost power to their homes and businesses during Hurricane Milton, that’s five days without electricity. When a disaster like Milton knocks out power and water, nonperishable foods and cases of water are huge needs in communities. 

Convoy of Hope is on the ground in Florida, distributing ready-to-eat meals, groceries, water, hygiene supplies, and more to people in need. Convoy is also sending loads of relief supplies to partners all over the state so they have resources to better serve their communities.

“Thank you for allowing us to partner with you to serve our community,” said one pastor of a church where we sent supplies. “We stand ready to serve more as we partner together.”

Partners in disaster zones help Convoy of Hope better assess the needs of a community and help us meet those needs. Whether it’s dozens of volunteers working our drive-thru distribution, the organization hosting the distribution site, or local law enforcement doing welfare checks and distributing Convoy’s supplies, partners and volunteers make our work possible.

October 13, 2024 | 5:41 p.m.

With Hurricanes Milton and Helene now gone and the storm systems that spawned them long dissipated, communities throughout the Southeast are left to grapple with the question, “What do we do now?” 

Historic flooding, deadly storm surge, and rain that just kept falling left swaths of Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee without power and water for days — in some cases, weeks. It will be months before some residents begin to fully recover. 

But Convoy of Hope will be there for the long haul. Watch our latest update, hear from survivors of the storm, and see how you and Convoy are providing hope in every storm.

October 12, 2024 | 3 p.m.

Distribution is underway in Sarasota County, Florida, in the aftermath of deadly Hurricane Milton. Days later, Florida residents are returning home to assess damage, finding flooded homes and businesses, debris-filled yards, and saturated streets. Some communities are almost unrecognizable. 

More than 1.4 million people are still without power in Florida, so the need for ready-to-eat meals and water is high. Convoy is on the ground in the impacted area to ensure those needs are met.

October 11, 2024 | 10:55 a.m.

Convoy of Hope is on the ground in Sarasota, Florida, working with church partners and local emergency management to assess how to best serve the community and surrounding areas. Across the state, we have resourced several partners with relief supplies — such as hygiene kits, food, water, baby items, and cleaning products — to distribute in their communities. 

Hurricane Milton spun up several destructive tornadoes and caused flooding on the eastern side of Florida, putting millions of people in need of everyday necessities while electricity and water are out and businesses are closed. Convoy’s response will serve communities throughout the entire impacted area. 

After Milton made landfall, the damaging winds, heavy rains, tornadoes, and dangerous storm surge caused at least 16 deaths. More than 2 million people are still without power in Florida. 

Back-to-back hurricanes left Floridians and other residents of the Southeast reeling. Convoy is there in the immediate aftermath and for the long haul.

October 10, 2024 | 9:04 a.m.

Hurricane Milton made landfall last night as a Category 3 hurricane in Siesta Key, about 70 miles south of Tampa. More than 3 million people are without power

With sustained winds of 120 mph at landfall, Milton tore the roof off of Tropicana Field, tossed debris through people’s properties, and spun up several deadly tornadoes on the opposite side of the state. 

Milton brought 8 to 10 feet of storm surge in Sarasota County, and storm surge warnings were issued for much of the east-central coast of Florida, even northward into Georgia. 

Though Tampa was spared a direct hit, Milton still dumped 18 inches of rain on the area. 

Convoy of Hope is on the ground in Florida. Volunteers in Perry, Florida, packed more than 3,000 bags of groceries for our Hurricane Milton response. Additional response vehicles deployed from our World Distribution Center two days ago so distributions can begin once it is safe to do so. 

In a state already vulnerable from Hurricane Helene, there will be great need all over Florida’s Gulf Coast. Convoy of Hope is there to ensure people have what they need to begin recovery. 

To help Convoy bring hope to more people devastated by Hurricane Milton, donate today.

October 9, 2024 | 8:15 a.m.

Floridians are scrambling to evacuate as monstrous Hurricane Milton closes in on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Milton is expected to make landfall in the Tampa Bay area as a catastrophic Category 4 storm. 

Convoy of Hope is on the ground in Florida with pre-positioned team members and relief supplies. 

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for more than 20 counties, including the Tampa area, the Florida Keys, and Miami-Dade county. Hurricanes generate powerful winds themselves, but the storm system can also produce tornadoes even days after it moves inland. 

Additionally, Milton is likely to strike Fort Myers, which took the brunt of Hurricane Ian in 2022.

October 8, 2024 | 9:56 a.m.

Hurricane Milton has dipped back to Category 4 status, but remains a monstrous hurricane as it heads toward Tampa Bay, Florida. Though the storm is predicted to make landfall in Tampa Bay Wednesday evening, all of Florida’s Gulf Coast is vulnerable to dangerous storm surge and flooding rains. Forecasters are warning of 8 to 12 feet of storm surge — the highest ever predicted in the area.

Social media sites are full of Florida residents’ videos explaining their plans to evacuate or hunker down and ride out the storm. Milton will likely be catastrophic — with debris from Hurricane Helene thrown in fierce winds, unprecedented storm surge, and areas already vulnerable from Helene. 

Convoy of Hope is already on the ground in Florida. Our team will remain out of harm’s way until the storm passes, then move in as quickly as possible to get relief supplies to people in need.

October 7, 2024 | 9:55 a.m.

Convoy of Hope is preparing for a Hurricane Milton Response.

Hurricane Milton — a powerful Category 4 storm with winds just 2 mph shy of Category 5 — is roaring toward Florida’s west coast, Debris left by Hurricane Helene could make Milton more dangerous, as limbs, steel, and other materials become projectiles in the dangerous winds when Milton makes landfall. 

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has issued an emergency declaration for 51 of the state’s 67 counties. This could be the largest evacuation Florida has seen since 2017. 

As Convoy of Hope continues our Hurricane Helene response, we are preparing to respond to Hurricane Milton.

Join Convoy in providing hope to disaster survivors by giving today.

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