House 50 Hurricane Survivors in the FL Panhandle

Doorways Update January 31, 2020

The past quarter was one of holiday cheer, but also heavy hearts as we continue to recover from Hurricane Michael.  They say it takes several years to recover after a hurricane – let alone a category 5 hurricane – and we are living this.  We are 15 months past the storm and some days feel as if we were hit just weeks ago given the vast devastation.  We continue to see residents at the Community Recovery Center, which in January was renamed the Community Resource Center (CRC).  We also re-located the CRC from the county Library building, in order to complete needed repairs on the roof, floors and walls since the space has been in use as a Recovery Center since the week following the storm. 

Rebuild work:We are embarking on the busiest time for rebuild work.  From now through Spring Break, there will be several volunteer organizations arriving in the area to complete rebuilds, make repairs and complete homes that were started and not finished. To date we have over 90 completed rebuilds.  This quarter saw the most completed rebuilds to date. 

Use of funding: As a direct result of the funding received from GlobalGiving, we have provided 2 hotel stays; placed 9 individuals in our shelter program and of those 9, 5 had transitioned to a point where they were able to locate and move into permanent housing. This is the goal of the program, safe, stable, affordable housing for those impacted by the hurricane.   Each of the 5 are currently doing well and are able to sustain their living situations.  Doorways assisted those households with paying security deposit, first month’s rent, providing transportation and suppling basic household items to set up the homes.  In addition, we provided 130 trolley (local bus) rides; replaced 2 sets of ID cards and birth certificates; provided food, diapers, hygiene supplies, socks and assorted clothing for approximately 30 residents.  Finally, we provided case management for 9 individuals; and provided 2 gas cards for those in need. 

The “A Better Shelter” project is very close to being launched.  Insurance costs have been covered and the next and final step is to complete some shipping and customs documentation completion.

Disaster Case Management: The Disaster Case Management Program (DCMP) was launched in mid-January.  To date, there are currently over 1,000 cases in the pipe-line seeking assistance.  It has been over 15 months since Hurricane Michael and the 1,000+ cases have been walk-ins to the CRC or have been contacted through the

DCMP outreach efforts. We have not yet broadly advertised, and fear that when we do, we will be overwhelmed.  In anticipation, and with funding through GlobalGiving, Doorways has hired 3 Disaster Case Managers (DCM). The DCM’s are all local residents who are being trained in best practices and who will retain this knowledge long beyond the DCMP cycle, which is currently expected to run through Oct 31, 2020.  The DCM’s will be invaluable assets to the community while we continue recovery over the coming years and should there be another disaster. 

 Due to the DCMP, we have added a few new categories to track.  Do you have a FEMA registration, were you impacted by Hurricane Michael and do you have income?  These questions will help us streamline the process of assigning cases to the DCMP.

• Community Resource Center Graphs - January 2020 (DOCX)

Doorways Update October 25, 2019

Community Recovery Center: Since the status report sent in August, The Community Recovery Center (CRC), has assisted an additional 700 residents. We have passed the one-year mark following Hurricane Michael and are at an interesting juncture. We will be transitioning the Community Recovery Center to a Community Resource Center and working to secure a new location so that the Bay County Library can be repaired from the storm damage it sustained. Much like the residential market, affordable commercial rental space is also at a premium, so we are partnering with Bay County and Rebuild Bay County, inc. to cost share on a potential rental site.

Rebuild work: We are embarking on the busiest time for rebuild work. From this Fall through Spring Break, there will be several volunteer organizations arriving in the area to complete rebuilds, make repairs and complete homes that were started and not finished. To date we have 40 completed rebuilds – 12 in the past 2 months. All residents seeking rebuild assistance funnel through Doorways for screening, prioritization and referral to appropriate organizations conducting the rebuilds.

Use of funding: As a direct result of the funding received from Global Giving, we have provided 3 hotel stays; placed 5 individuals in our shelter program; supplied over 100 trolley passes for transportation needs, replaced 2 sets of ID cards and birth certificates; provided food, diapers, hygiene supplies, socks and clothing for approximately 25 residents; provided case management for 6 individuals; provided 5 gas cards for those in need; and, stably housed 5 individuals. We’re also very excited to launch the “A Better Shelter” project. Two Better Shelter temporary shelters are being donated to Doorways from the IKEA Foundation; however, we have to cover the cost of insurance, assist individuals to furnish and set up for occupancy and transport the units. The shelters will be used by individuals that are having home repairs completed, but must vacate the premises while construction is underway. Once that individual moves back into their home, the shelter will be moved to another property for us by that individual. If the project is successful, we will be able to purchase 14 more shelters at a cost of approximately $28,000.  Below are pictures of the inside of the shelter:

 Disaster Case Management: On November 8, 2019, we will learn which organization(s) have been selected to receive a grant from FEMA for Disaster Case Management. It has been over one year since Hurricane Michael, and this will be the first award for Case Management services. We are thrilled to be receiving some additional case management resources as our staff is stretched very thin. It is the expectation that there will be an additional 20 – 25 case managers on the ground in December to visit with impacted citizens and help them to navigate the rebuild process. Along with the added resources, we anticipate that their work will uncover even more individuals who are needing assistance, so the funding we are receiving will be even more appreciated and needed.

• CRC_1dt_qtr_report.docx (DOCX)