Florida Blue increases Hurricane Ian relief efforts to total $2 million

Florida Blue provides an additional $1 million to communities hardest hit by Hurricane Ian

FORT MYERS, Fla., Dec. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- During a luncheon to thank local nonprofits for their dedication to hurricane recovery efforts, Florida Blue President and CEO Pat Geraghty announced the state's Blue Cross Blue Shield plan will donate an additional $1 million to support 22 local and regional organizations continuing to provide community-based hurricane relief efforts.

Florida Blue previously announced an initial $1 million dollar donation to the state's relief efforts immediately following the storm. This latest funding brings the total investment in hurricane relief efforts to $2 million.

"We are so grateful to the community leaders who have been working tirelessly to provide emergency items, food, housing and even health and mental health services to those severely impacted by Hurricane Ian," said Geraghty. "There is a long road ahead to recovery from the devastation of this storm. Our mission of helping people and communities achieve better health requires us to continue to support our fellow Floridians and provide these communities with the relief needed to help them rebuild their lives."

Geraghty was joined by leaders from Lee Health, which received the largest gift of $100,000 that will support a mobile health care clinic in the Dunbar community near Fort Myers. The underserved community lost its only health care clinic during Hurricane Ian, and the mobile clinic is serving as the area's only in-person source for health care while more permanent facilities can be obtained.

"The losses that Floridians are still coping with are unimaginable," said Susan Towler, Florida Blue executive director, Corporate Social Responsibility. "As part of our efforts to create strong, resilient communities, we remain committed to being there for the people in our state and making sure they have the essential supplies and support to meet their most immediate needs, including support for their physical health and mental well-being."

Other community nonprofits receiving additional hurricane relief funding include –

• All Faiths Food Bank, Sarasota
• American Red Cross in South Florida, Space Coast and St. John's and Putnam counties
• Association of Haitians Living Abroad for Development, Inc. (AHVED), Fort Myers
• Catholic Charities of Venice
• Child's Path, Naples
• Community Cooperative, Fort Myers
• Feeding Tampa Bay
• Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), Fort Myers
• Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida, Inc.
• Heights Center, Inc., Fort Myers
• Midwest Food Bank NFP Inc., Fort Myers
• Interfaith Charities of South Lee, Fort Myers
• United Way chapters for Charlotte County; Heart of Florida; Collier and the Keys; Lee, Hendry & Glades Counties; Palm Beach County; St. John's County; and Suncoast

In addition to the $2 million dollar donation in relief efforts, after the storm Florida Blue Center teams deployed mobile units to hard-hit communities to assist members who lost medical devices and needed other support, distributed hurricane relief packets, and provided no-cost vaccinations.

The Florida Blue Center Community Specialists continue to offer assistance to anyone in the community – even if they are not a member – by connecting them with community and social services like food programs, transportation, financial and housing assistance programs, community support resources, and many other types of relief programs. 

Florida Blue is also working directly with its most vulnerable members to support them in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. The insurer's teams of nurses are working closely with members with special needs, chronic conditions requiring constant management and with those who need assistance accessing medical supplies, medications, and other essential items. 

Florida Blue, Florida's Blue Cross and Blue Shield company, has been providing health insurance to residents of Florida for more than 75 years. Driven by its mission of helping people and communities achieve better health, the company serves more than 6 million members across the state. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., it is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. 

SOURCE Florida Blue