Step Up Suncoast

Manatee County Animal Welfare’s Bishop Animal Shelter, 5718 21st Avenue West, is offering a FREE microchipping and vaccine event TOMORROW (Saturday, November 2), from 8 a.m. to Noon, for the first 200 pets. Cats must be in carriers, and dogs must be on leashes!

🚨 Hurricane Relief: Step Up Suncoast Needs Your Help 🚨
The devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton has left many families in Manatee County without homes, electricity, and basic necessities. In less than one week after Hurricane Helene, Step Up Suncoast, Inc. was on the ground helping our neighbors in need. When Hurricane Milton passed through two weeks later, our staff quickly expanded assistance to those affected.

Here’s what we’re doing: Providing temporary emergency housing for families whose homes are unlivable | Collaborating with local HVAC vendor CoolToday to repair or replace damaged HVAC systems to keep families safe and comfortable | Funding energy reconnection and contractor costs to ensure homes have power | Providing affected households with up to $3,000 for storm-related crisis expenses*, thanks to the Season of Sharing Fund** | Connecting community members with local resources | and more

We can’t do this alone – we need your help! Your donations will allow us to reach more families, helping to rebuild lives and provide immediate relief.
💙🧡💛 Donate Today: https://stepupsuncoast.org/hurricane_donations/

Partner nonprofits, local businesses, government, and individual community members are working tirelessly to respond to this crisis, but there are still gaps in services. Your donation will help fill those gaps.
** Season of Sharing is a partnership between the Herald-Tribune Media Group and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, strengthened through matching by The Patterson Foundation.

Hurricane Donations To donate and take advantage of the Flanzer Trust match, please use this link Flanzer Trust Match To make a donation WITHOUT taking advantage of the Flanzer Trust match, use this link Donation Without Match

Join us tomorrow in Arcadia for a Community Baby Shower. Parents as Teachers and other community partners will be providing FREE educational resources to all parents, guardians, and families in the community.

Meals on Wheels PLUS is holding a free Hurricane Relief drive-through this Thursday, October 24th, scheduled for 4pm - 6pm. Items available include non-perishable food items, fresh produce, bottled water, hydration drinks, cleaning supplies, and pet food. Quantities are limited and will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Time is subject to change. 811 23rd Avenue East, Bradenton, FL.

Remember that the long-term stress caused by disasters can reduce your ability to think clearly and can make our to do lists feel overwhelming. If you are feeling like this, try these simple tips.

The Disaster Recovery Center is REOPENING TOMORROW (Tuesday, October 22) at a NEW LOCATION: The Agricultural Extension Office, 1303 17th Street West, Palmetto. Tuesday’s hours will be 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Then starting Wednesday (October 23), hours will be daily, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., until further notice. As a reminder, the most efficient way to reach FEMA is by doing one of the following: Going to DisasterAssistance.gov, using the FEMA App or calling 800-621-3362.

Today, the Hope Bus will be in Daytona Beach and Bradenton, FL! Food, water, and other essential supplies are available, and Hope Navigators are ready to assist those impacted by .

📌Dickerson Heritage Library, 411 S. Keech Street, Daytona Beach, FL 10 am – 3 pm

📌GT Bray Recreation Center, 5502 33rd AvenueDrive W., Bradenton, FL 10 am – 3 pm

Today, the Hope Bus will be in Bradenton, Daytona Beach, and Lakeland! Food, water and other essential supplies are available, and Hope Navigators are ready to assist those impacted by

🔹Crystal Lake United Methodist Church, 2001 N. Crystal Lake Drive, Lakeland, FL, 10 am – 3pm

🔹Dickerson Heritage Library, 411 South Keech Street, Daytona Beach, FL, 10 am – 3 pm

🔹GT Bray Recreation Center, 5502 33rd Avenue Drive W., Bradenton, FL, 12 pm – 5 pm

Please be careful not to place debris near backflows, fire hydrants or master meters. If your backflow gets damaged because it's blocked, the repair costs will be the responsibility of the homeowner/renter, not the County or the hauler contractors. Thank you for your help.

Now open! Both Blackstone Park, 2112 14th Avenue W. (Palmetto), and Kingfish Boat Ramp, 700 Manatee Avenue West, are open until 8 p.m. today. Please click the Distribution Sites link at mymanatee.org/storm for a list of available items.

Extended hours! Due to overwhelming response, the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center at GT Bray Park will be opening two hours earlier, at 7 a.m. Representatives will be available until 7 p.m. to help answer Manatee residents' questions about disaster recovery and give referrals to agencies that may provide further assistance and status of application(s) being processed by FEMA or other agencies. ❗ You must bring a valid photo ID. GT Bray is located at 5502 33rd Avenue Drive West (Bradenton), and the event will be taking place in the gymnasium.

ℹ Residents also can access FEMA by going online to DisasterAssistance.gov, calling 800-621-3362 or downloading the FEMA app.

Sharing again for those who might need support.

🏠 Our First Time Home Buyer Workshop has been rescheduled for October 26th 🏠
Registration is open through this Friday. Just email your name and desired class date to [email protected] or call us at 941-827-2887 x 7802.

Join us on Saturday, October 26th, in Arcadia for a Community Baby Shower. Parents as Teachers and other community partners will be providing FREE educational resources to all parents, guardians, and families in the community.

Operation Blue Roof is now accepting applications for 22 counties impacted by Hurricane !

This program provides free temporary tarping while you work to permanently repair your roof.

Apply at http://BlueRoof.gov or call 888-766-3258! This program closes on Nov. 5.

Feeding Tampa Bay will be back in Manatee County from 4 PM to 6 PM at the Desoto Boys and Girls Club (5236 30th St W)

We are all having lots of reactions to the stress of the recent storms. These reactions are normal and will most often subside with time. Recognizing our feelings and practicing self-compassion as we move through the process of healing is helpful.

FDEM operated Fuel Sites today―through 7 p.m.―are as follows (10-gallon limit per car):

⛽Tropicana Rail Yard
1706 9th St E
Bradenton, 34208

⛽ Bradenton Motorsports Park
21000 E. State Road 64
Bradenton, 34212

For more information, visit https://www.floridadisaster.org/disaster-updates/Hurricanemilton/.