GALLAGHER ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH
POLK NON-PROFIT TO STRENGTHEN HOMES
AGAINST HURRICANES Over 400 Low-Income Homeowners to
be Served in Polk
TALLAHASSEE—Chief Financial Officer
Tom Gallagher announced today that
over 400 low-income homeowners will
soon be safer from hurricanes thanks
to a new partnership between ReBuild
Polk After Disaster and the My Safe
Florida Home program. Through the
partnership, homeowners will receive
free home inspections and assistance
to make improvements that will
strengthen homes against
catastrophic losses.
“Partnering with faith- and
community-based groups to help
fortify low-income homes in Florida
is mission critical to protecting
families and reducing property
losses,” said Gallagher, who
oversees the My Safe Florida Home
program. “Through these
partnerships, we will be able to
leverage resources and help
thousands of Floridians before the
end of this hurricane season.”
Through the Volunteer Florida
Foundation, which administers the
Florida Hurricane Relief Fund,
ReBuild Polk After Disaster is
teaming up with the My Safe Florida
Home program to fortify the homes of
up to 431 low-income homeowners in
Polk County. My Safe Florida Home is
matching over $685,000 with the
resources of ReBuild Polk After
Disaster. A homeowner can earn no
more than 80 percent of the Annual
Median Income (AMI) to qualify for
this assistance. AMI varies by
county.
"The My Safe Florida Home program
grant awarded to Rebuild Polk After
Disaster is very exciting for our
community as we will be able to
strengthen over 400 homes in Polk
County in the first year. This 3
year program facilitated through
Volunteer Florida Foundation will
have a huge community impact as our
low-income homeowners strengthen
their homes against future
hurricanes," stated Alice Spivey,
the United Way of Central Florida
disaster coordinator and vice chair
of Rebuild Polk After Disaster
non-profit organization.
"United Way of Central Florida is
uniquely positioned to convene local
non-profits, facilitating
cooperative efforts to better
prepare our community against future
hurricanes. The resources provided
through Volunteer Florida Foundation
and the State Legislature allow us
to help on a scale that will truly
make a difference," added Terry
Worthington, president of United Way
of Central Florida.
Participating homeowners will
receive free home inspections to
determine what improvements can be
made to strengthen their homes
against hurricane damage. Following
the inspections, homeowners will
receive assistance to make
recommended improvements.
“In our long-term recovery work
following the last two hurricane
seasons, we at the Florida Hurricane
Relief Fund have learned the
enormous value of partnering with
community and faith-based groups,
organizations that know their
communities and are effective
partners in accomplishing important
tasks,” said Liza McFadden,
president of the Volunteer Florida
Foundation. “We are honored to
expand our role to include
mitigation work with the Department
of Financial Services to ensure
Florida’s low-income residents get
the help they need to strengthen
their homes.”
Funding for the partnership with
non-profit organizations is possible
because of a $250 million
appropriation by the Florida
Legislature during the 2006 Session
to create the Florida Comprehensive
Hurricane Damage Mitigation Program,
now referred to as My Safe Florida
Home and administered by the Florida
Department of Financial Services.
To date, the department has received
more than 53,000 applications in the
mail from Floridians eager to have
free home inspections. Nearly 5,000
inspections are currently being done
in Dade, Broward and Lee counties.
Gallagher said his goal is to have
12,000 inspections completed before
the end of this hurricane season,
November 30.
To learn more about the My Safe
Florida Home program, visit
www.mysafefloridahome.com.
