St. Petersburg-based Sol Relief bills itself as the leading force in aviation-based disaster response, having made more than 400 relief flights since forming in 2017. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, however, Sol Relief has focused its efforts on providing needed supplies to those right here in Pinellas County. And United Way Suncoast, as it always does in times of disaster, aided the mission.
Earlier this week, Sol Relief reached out to United Way Suncoast about needing to distribute supplies. Through our connections with United Way of Central Florida, the call went from discussion to delivery in just one afternoon. Pallets of tarps, toiletries, diapers, hygiene products and cleaning supplies got delivered to the organization. As Sol Relief executive director Harris Ambush noted, this is what effective collaboration looks like.
“It’s amazing when partnerships and collaboration in times of need can be so efficient and effective,” Harris said. “We’re grateful to be united in these efforts with you.”
A Plan For Resilience
United Way Suncoast united with Sol Relief, and it’s united with nonprofit partners and corporate donors across the region. We repeatedly replicate such success stories, always working to create solutions with the help of our Disaster Recovery Page in the wake of disasters. In fact, we’ve sharpened our response with a new Disaster Resilience Guide that better organizes our efforts.
“Having the disaster guide in place has meant everything to us,” United Way Suncoast CEO Jessica Muroff said, noting that our experience in handling past storms combined with this new plan has been instrumental. “It’s still hard, but it feels less chaotic because we know exactly what we’re doing.”
It also helps to bring together our partners for collaboration. On Oct. 3, less than a week after Helene’s storm surge wrecked homes across our five-county footprint, we convened more than 100 nonprofits on an inspiring call. Nonprofit leaders shared best practices, exchanged helpful ideas about gaining assistance and communicated information about upcoming events that will help the community.
A Roadmap For Recovery
Most of all, they elevated their needs, allowing this coalition to lend support while helping inform how United Way Suncoast will use the dollars stemming from its Disaster Recovery Fund. Money raised will assist the organizations and ultimately assist community members.
“We are so grateful for the efforts of our nonprofit partners,” said United Way Suncoast Vice President of Investments & Partnership Strategies Josh Dunn. “They took the time to share their needs with us, as well as provide support to each other and find opportunities to collaborate in the service of the affected families in our region.
“Some of those nonprofit leaders are struggling personally and facing recovery themselves. Our hearts and thoughts are with them, and that’s why it’s so critical to bring everyone together and create a collective effort.”
Convening and collaborating has served as a hallmark of United Way Suncoast for more than 100 years. We trace our roots back to the founding of the Tampa Welfare League in 1924. Back then, a group of concerned citizens partnered to create a “Community Chest” that could unify philanthropic efforts. That same spirit carries on today.
Muroff expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support from their community and the broader United Way network. Donors from other regions unaffected by the storm have contributed.
“We’re all linking arms, making sure we’re filling gaps,” Muroff said. “This is what United Way does best.”
If you or a loved one need help, call 211 or visit 211.org for assistance. Learn more about available assistance on our Disaster Recovery Page.