On August 30th, Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Lowndes County with maximum sustained winds exceeding 100 miles per hour. The storm caused extensive damage to homes and businesses and widespread power outages.

In the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, numerous nonprofit organizations and volunteers jumped into action and assisted in the recovery effort by providing food, water, shelter, and essential needs. 

 "I'm proud of the response from our impact partner nonprofits," said Greater Valdosta United Way CEO Michael Smith. "They took care of our most vulnerable population, like the elderly and medically fragile. We are now focusing on long-term recovery efforts and helping nonprofits become more resilient for the next storm or emergency." 

To assist with the recovery phase, the GVUW received a $150,000 Disaster Response Grant from Walmart. Smith said the grant is supplying generators to nonprofits and providing gift cards and utility assistance to individuals and families financially impacted by the hurricane.

"When a hurricane or natural disaster hits, communities turn to nonprofits to provide food, shelter, clothing, and basic human needs," Smith said. "What often goes unnoticed is that nonprofits are also impacted by the storm, including loss of power and property damage."

With an extended loss of power, some nonprofits had to discard perishable food and medicine, which decreased their immediate ability to provide service to people in need.

 Marty Ellison, director of retail operations with Miller Hardware and chair of the GVUW Board of Directors, was able to secure generators quickly. 

"The portable generators provide enough power to keep the lights, refrigerators, and other essential equipment operational during power outages," Ellison said. "These units are typically used on construction sites and in some homes. They are easy to use and functional."  

Partnership Health Clinic (PHC) Director John Sparks said he is grateful for the generator and knows it will be vital in keeping the clinic open during future power outages. 

The PHC provides care to patients seven days a week and distributes more than $10 million in free medication annually to uninsured adults. 

 "Not only was the clinic closed for three days, but without power, we had to throw out medication, like insulin, that requires refrigeration," said Sparks. "This greatly impacted our ability to serve patients and provide critical medication." 

Living Bridge Ministry, a Christian-based nonprofit that serves low-income families through various programs, provided 485 meals and distributed 1,009 clothing items immediately following Hurricane Idalia's impact on Lowndes County. 

"We were able to borrow a generator on Friday," said Darcy Gunter, co-founder of Living Bridges Ministry. "We packed food in ice and used water bottles that we froze before the storm and cooked food on gas and charcoal grills. In the future, having a generator means we won't have significant interruptions in service.”

Working with the American Red Cross to identify those who experienced major loss, the GVUW purchased Walmart gift cards for distribution to families and individuals still experiencing financial hardships from the storm.

"Expenses like replacing food and loss of income due to being out of work for days put a real strain on individuals who live paycheck to paycheck," Smith said. "The storm was a huge financial burden on many families in our community." 

The GVUW is also partnering with the St. Francis Center, a mission outreach program sponsored through St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, to assist older adults with utility payments. 

In addition to the Walmart grant, Truist, Verizon, Publix, and numerous local businesses and individual donors have given money for the disaster recovery effort.

"The combined funds will allow us to focus on long-term recovery efforts," Smith said. "We are offering microgrants to help nonprofits recover and to support their programs that positively impact individuals with the greatest needs."

Smith said the hurricane also highlighted South Georgia's need to expand the state's 211 system into the region. A national referral system, 211, has a specialist available 24/7 to give information on local agencies in their community that provide food, clothing, shelter, and rent and utility assistance.  

“Bringing 211 into South Georgia takes the pressure off the 911 system, allowing them to be ready for life-threatening emergencies,’” Smith said. “211 connects community members to the resources they need in emergencies and during times of disaster.”