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The Florida Hurricane Relief Fund

Hurricane Katrina's slog through southern Florida is another reminder that thousands of residents still have not recovered from previous hurricanes and could use some help that government can't provide. The Florida Hurricane Relief Fund, created by Gov. Jeb Bush after last year's historic storms, has an impressive record of raising money and getting it to communities that need it most.

In the past year, the relief fund has raised more than $20-million in private contributions from businesses and individuals. Some $16-million has been spent throughout the state on recovery efforts, from fixing roofs to providing health services. Just last week, $2.4-million was handed out for housing in Panhandle counties that had not recovered from Ivan before being hit last month by Dennis.

The relief fund, headed by a volunteer steering committee of business executives, has managed the contributions responsibly. An audit found no problems, and overhead expenses are a very reasonable 3 percent. Decisions about specific projects are made by unmet need committees in individual counties, and the relief fund allocates the money based on those coordinated requests. That enables the people most knowledgeable about the needs in local communities to set priorities.

All of the relief fund's dollars are spent or earmarked for specific projects, but plenty of Floridians still need help. Thousands of homes still need roof repairs in the Panhandle, for example, and Katrina could enter the Gulf of Mexico and head toward that area once again.

This is the modern equivalent of neighbor helping neighbor. To contribute, visit www.flahurricanefund.org or call 1-800-825-3786.

[Last modified August 26, 2005, 01:36:21]