For many Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian, the sounds of hammers and drills are the signals of hope and a second chance.

Since Ian made landfall on the Florida Gulf Coast in September 2022, Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay (RTTB), a local nonprofit that provides no-cost home repairs, supplies, and education, has partnered with the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s (FDEM) Sheltering in Home for Recovery Continuation (SHRC) program to rebuild over 100 homes for people impacted by Hurricane Ian. RTTB is part of a national network of over 140 Rebuilding Together affiliates with the mission of repairing homes, revitalizing communities, and rebuilding lives. RTTB owns and operates offices in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties, and also operates in Orange County and the Orlando area as Rebuilding Together Central Florida (RTCFL).  

On September 28th, marking the 1-year anniversary of Hurricane Ian, RTTB unveiled its 5,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art hurricane response distribution center in Tampa, FL that will offer essential supplies for post-hurricane relief and rehabilitation to affected residents.

To commemorate the event, several community leaders including Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay, Tidal Basin Group, Volunteer Florida, and ToolBank USA attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new facility.

At the ceremony, Tidal Basin’s Senior Project Manager, Chris Mewes, presented RTTB with a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM). Following the ribbon-cutting, guests were also given a tour of the facility.

“FDEM’s SHRC program has successfully helped eligible homeowners with repairs so they can remain in their homes while fully recovering from Hurricane Ian,” said Chris. “Voluntary organizations such as RTTB and Volunteer Florida, have been essential to the program’s success. RTTB’s new hurricane response distribution center will provide the residents of Tampa Bay with even more support for future disasters.”  

Click here to learn more about the Rebuilding Together organization and to apply for assistance.