Thousands of low-income residents in DeSoto County are still dealing with Hurricane Ian’s aftermath, nearly a year and a half after the world’s third-costliest weather disaster struck Florida.
"We have hundreds (of cases) right now," said Amanda Reuter, executive director of Hope DeSoto Long-Term Recovery Group. "We would have thousands if everybody that was affected by Hurricane Ian came to us."
After completing a months-long assessment of needs in the county, Hope DeSoto is now beginning to close some of its cases, and is securing more grants to continue helping rebuild and repair homes damaged in the storm.
A part of Hope DeSoto's mission is to assess if residents have exhausted all federal and state aid available to them. Then, Reuter says, her agency can begin to fill in the gaps.
"We have to verify every person makes sure that they are still in recovery (from Ian)," often a time-consuming process, she said.
Hurricane Ian, the fifth-strongest hurricane on record to strike the United States, made landfall near Fort Myers on Oct. 28, 2022. It tracked inland, dumping 20 inches of rain in DeSoto County.
Two days later, the Peace River, which winds through DeSoto County, spilled over its banks, flooding parts of Arcadia and much of the surrounding area. It left many of DeSoto's 35,000 residents without shelter.
Federal and state agencies doled out millions in aid. FEMA grants alone in DeSoto County totaled $26.5 million.
But FEMA stopped taking aid applications last January and closed its recovery center in Arcadia a year ago. Most of the state's disaster funds were disbursed. But the needs remain, Reuter said.
According to Florida Department of Health data, more than 26% of DeSoto residents live below the poverty line. The federal government defines the poverty level as a single person making less than $14,580 a year, or a family of four living on $30,000 or less.
Hope DeSoto has connected residents with agencies such as the Mennonite Disaster Service and Arcadia-DeSoto Habitat for Humanity who are working on more than a dozen home repair projects.
Requests for assistance can vary, Reuter said. "It doesn't have to be a huge project. It can be something simple like yard debris or fixing a fence," she said.
'This is the only thing you got'
James Smith owns a 100-year-old home on 10th Street in Arcadia. The 60-year-old artist says health problems — including a serious heart condition and cancer -- have kept him from being able to work.
Smith was in his home the night Hurricane Ian hit. He says he knew a storm was approaching Florida but was unaware it was bearing down on DeSoto County.
Smith noticed a message on his phone from his cousin, urging him to evacuate. Smith said he resisted at first. "You got to stay here, because this is the only thing you got," he recalled thinking. Smith fell asleep but it didn't last long. "I woke up and all hell broke loose," he said. He got into his vehicle and fled to Orlando.
Smith returned to find a large section of his roof gone; and the floors and walls severely damaged. Hope DeSoto connected Smith with Mennonite Disaster Service, which has put a new metal roof on his home and replaced the floor. Electrical and drywall work are next.
"There's plenty of resources here," Reuter said. "It's a matter of, 'can you get to it on your own? Can we help you get that?'"
Reuter also notes the 2024 hurricane season begins June 1. Hope DeSoto will participate in hurricane preparation instruction as part of the Patterson Foundation's annual Suncoast Remake Learning Days April 20 to May 4, as well as the DeSoto County Emergency Management's hurricane expo in June.
Jim DeLa is a reporter for the Community News Collaborative. Reach him at jdela@cncfl.org
