DeSantis activates Florida Disaster Fund to raise money for Hurricane Idalia

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis, along with First Lady Casey DeSantis, announced the activation of the Florida Disaster Fund to support communities impacted by Hurricane Idalia.

“The Florida Disaster Fund helps us fill the gaps for impacted families and cut through red tape,” the governor said. “This money goes a long way for families impacted by a storm and it is an important tool in the disaster recovery process.”

The fund is a part of the state’s official charitable organization supporting disaster recovery, which includes volunteerism and community service.

“Harnessing the power of the private sector is an important tool when it comes to getting resources into the hands of the people that need it most,” the first lady said.

“Following Hurricane Ian, we were blessed by the outpouring of generosity from individuals and businesses that wanted to help support Floridians,” she said. “The Florida Disaster Fund is a great resource to ensure that those looking to provide relief have the maximum impact in supplementing needs and expediting recovery.”

12 to 16 feet of storm surge was expected somewhere between Wakulla/Jefferson County and Yankeetown, Florida. Damaging winds were also forecasted to occur through Idalia’s core in the Big Bend region of the state. Read more about impacts here.

Hurricane warnings due to wind and storm surge from Idalia were also issued along the Florida Gulf Coast.

Donations are tax deductible and can be made by clicking here. Donations by mail can be made at the address below. Checks should be made payable to the Volunteer Florida Foundation and should include “Florida Disaster Fund”.

1545 Raymond Diehl Road Suite 250, Tallahassee, FL 32308

The Florida Disaster Fund had raised more than $60 million in donations to help communities that were impacted by Hurricane Ian.

Some of that money was also distributed to teachers and first responders who were to recover and work.