TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – One of the most powerful storms to ever hit the U.S., Hurricane Michael made landfall on Northwest Florida's Gulf Coast less than two weeks ago. To assist with the long-term recovery of the impacted areas, the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors is allocating an additional $1 million to help coordinate and continue the work of the initial state responses provided through Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits, the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Disaster Dislocated Worker grants and services offered by other community partners.
Governor Rick Scott said, "Following Hurricane Michael, we are doing everything we can to help our communities return to normal. CareerSource Florida's Hurricane Michael Disaster Recovery Fund will move these efforts forward by helping more people get back to work. We won't rest until every Floridian has the needed resources to recover."
The funds, allocated by CareerSource Florida and distributed by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, are designated for employment services to assist those impacted by Hurricane Michael.
"Hurricane Michael tore through Northwest Florida as one of the most powerful storms in decades, devastating many communities." said CareerSource Florida Board Chairman Kevin Doyle. "The Hurricane Michael Disaster Recovery Fund will support the CareerSource Florida network's efforts to help Floridians assist their neighbors and provide services essential to supporting families affected by the storm."
The types of services for affected employers and residents displaced by Hurricane Michael that will be provided by the local workforce development boards through this additional funding may include some or all the following:
Individual career consulting services
The creation of a Specialized Job Development Team
Extended hours at career centers
Increased access to English for Speakers of Other Language services
Recruiting and hiring events
Increased partnerships with community-based organizations
Surveys to assess employment needs
Paid outreach, including but not limited to social and traditional media and/or direct email
CareerSource Florida President and CEO Michelle Dennard said, "As a native of Jackson County, seeing the damage in Northwest Florida from Hurricane Michael is heartbreaking, but Floridians are resilient and we will restore and rebuild. Our network's priority is to help Florida families and businesses affected by Hurricane Michael recover as quickly as possible."
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Cissy Proctor said, "We appreciate CareerSource Florida providing these additional funds to support families, businesses and communities impacted by Hurricane Michael. These funds will allow local career centers to provide the critical assistance that businesses and residents in the Florida Panhandle need to start rebuilding their lives."
For a comprehensive list of recovery resources, please visit our Hurricane Michael Disaster Recovery Programs page. To find recovery-related jobs, please visit the Disaster Recovery Jobs Portal.