- Duke Energy Florida provides financial assistance to communities, agriculture industry following Hurricane Ian’s devastation
- A total of $95,000 has been committed to supporting local recovery and rebuilding efforts in communities that have been heavily impacted by the storm
Duke Energy Florida is committing $95,000 to help communities that have been impacted by Hurricane Ian recover and rebuild.
“During emergencies, our customers count on us,” said Duke Energy Florida State President Melissa Seixas. “We are proud to work alongside the organizations that are on the front lines providing critical relief and recovery services across the communities we serve. We are grateful for their service to those impacted by this devastating storm.”
In a Thursday news release, Duke Energy noted that the funds will go to organizations that are delivering disaster relief and recovery services, including meals, emergency services and supplies to individuals, families and communities across the Sunshine State.
Notably, the utility company is pledging $45,000 to help farmers and ranchers throughout the state recover. $25,000 of it will go to the Florida Farm Bureau Federation’s (FFBF) relief fund to support the recovery from agricultural-related losses. Another $10,000 each will go to the Florida Cattleman Foundation and the Alumni Association of the Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources.
“Like many residents in Florida, many farm and ranch families have suffered significant losses due to Hurricane Ian,” said Jeb S. Smith, Florida Farm Bureau Federation president. “We are grateful for Duke Energy’s support, which will help us assist our farm families throughout the state that are now recovering from one of the costliest storms in Florida’s history.”
Additionally, $5,000 will go to Hope Partnership, an organization working to end homelessness and poverty in Central Florida, to provide blankets to those who have been displaced by Hurricane Ian.
“This week at our Client Care Day, we were able to distribute blankets to some of our neighbors who have been displaced by flooding from Ian,” said Rev. Mary Downey, Hope Partnership CEO. “These individuals are currently staying in emergency shelters, so we were glad to be able to provide these blankets to make that time in the shelter a little more comfortable. Duke Energy provided the funding for these gifts, and we are so grateful to them for helping us continue to care for those most affected by the storm.”
Hurricane Ian made landfall on Sept. 28, pummeling Florida’s Gulf Coast before continuing on a northward trek. The Category 4 storm left a path of destruction across the Sunshine State, producing catastrophic flooding and storm surge while leaving more than 2 million Florida homes and businesses without power.
Thus far, the storm is responsible for over 100 deaths, with most occurring in Lee County in Southwest Florida.
Duke Energy added that the majority of the 1 million customer outages within the company’s service area were restored within three days after the Category 4 storm passed through the affected areas.
Following Hurricane Ian’s devastation, Duke Energy donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross with an additional $50,000 available in matching employee donations for communities in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina. Another $100,000 was also provided to Volunteer Florida’s Disaster Fund to support aid as part of the coordinated disaster response in Florida.