A Time To Recover, A Time To Prepare

I'm all too familiar with what can occur when Tampa Bay finds itself in the throes of a devastating storm. Last fall, as the winds of Hurricane Helene swirled in the Gulf, flood waters began to creep up my driveway, coming within inches of entering our home -- far too close for comfort.

Eventually, my family and I escaped the havoc that devastated so many families in our region, but I had so many friends lose their homes and it broke my heart. Our close call and those tearful losses reminded all of us at United Way Suncoast about the importance of disaster resilience and disaster preparedness.

We rebranded our Impact Areas in 2025 to include Community Resiliency, but there's nothing new at the core of this mission pillar. We’ve helped the community with mid- and long-term recovery from disasters since our founding in 1924. United Way Suncoast is committed to being a reliable resource for residents and businesses before, during and after disasters.

Led by our Disaster Resilience Officer, Heather Koester , we put together a new Disaster Resilience Guide in 2024 to sharpen our organization's disaster plans and help community members prepare. You can find that guide on the United Way Suncoast website, and now we’re working to make it even better.

We're also working to grow UWS’ role as a convener and collaborator when it comes to resiliency and recovery. We’re one of the leaders in this space, and as you'll read below, we're leading the Manatee COAD and staging a Community Disaster Training on Aug. 14.

But that's just part of the effort. We’ve already invested $1.2 million through our nonprofit partners to help community members with various recovery challenges. At the same time, some of those dollars will go towards ensuring our communities are better prepared for the next disaster. Before year's end, we'll invest another $1 million in disaster recovery grants with our nonprofit partners.

A new grant from Verizon also has furthered our efforts with an emphasis on resource coordination, community workshops and emergency kits. That partnership, which includes connecting with Habitat For Humanity, Rebuilding Together Greater Florida and other nonprofits underscores our collective impact approach.

In the end, we know our community can't bounce back from disasters in a week, a month or even a year. We have some community members still dealing with damage from 2022’s Hurricane Ian. But resilience is not only about bouncing back, it's about being better prepared the next time we're faced with a storm that brings unwanted waters into our neighborhoods. Or even when other disruptions occur such as pandemics and other crises.

Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow

United Way Suncoast: Fostering Collaboration On Disaster Preparation

The next Manatee County COAD (Community Organizations Active In Disaster) Meeting will be 10 a.m. on July 31 at the United Way Suncoast Lakewood Ranch Office (4215 Concept Court). The COAD brings together nonprofits, government agencies, businesses, and faith-based partners to build a more resilient community for any disaster, not just hurricanes.

United Way Suncoast now leads these meetings, bringing a focus on collaboration, communication, and coordination before, during, and after disasters. Whether you’re new or already involved, your voice matters at the table.

Get information on our upcoming July 31st event here. It includes an opportunity to build disaster preparedness kits: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/manatee-county-coad-meeting-tickets-1458673865799?aff=oddtdtcreator

Breaking The Cycle With Disaster Resiliency

Verizon , United Way Suncoast , Rebuilding Together Greater Florida and All Faiths Food Bank will partner to extend our sustained network of disaster preparedness and resilience on Aug. 14 at the Robert L. Taylor Community Center in Sarasota. Separate sessions will be held at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. The first 50 participants in each session will have the opportunity to assemble their own disaster preparedness kits. 

A Verizon grant has fueled a disaster resilience initiative with United Way Suncoast and other local agencies to underscore preparedness. Verizon recognizes that for too long, disaster response has followed a predictable pattern: devastation strikes, help arrives, headlines fade, and communities are left to rebuild alone—until the next storm hits and the cycle repeats. Now we’re coming together to break that cycle.

Register for this Community Disaster Training here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-disaster-training-tickets-1493385429019?aff=oddtdtcreator

DeSoto County residents: We Need You

Come for the fun, stay for the purpose! Join us today at this fun-filled event where community members can connect with local organizations, learn about volunteer opportunities, enjoy bounce houses and enjoy complimentary food. Be the change this summer with VCDC’s Summer of Service!

Honoring Our Friend Devan

United Way Suncoast honored the legacy of senior marketing manager Devan Endlich on Wednesday by launching "Devan's Book Club." It's a new initiative aimed at honoring the memory of our colleague who passed away in March by extending her life-long love of reading to a new generation.

Devan loved her red hair and often referred to herself as the “Ginger Ninja.” Even when she was a toddler, she loved books. Her parents would read to her, and she would actually memorize the books and retell the stories – even when she was just 3-years-old.

Devan went on to graduate as the salutatorian from her high school in Dover, Ohio, and then she earned a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University of Florida. Eventually, she came to work at United Way Suncoast and everyone who worked with her loved her and cared for her during her 18-month cancer battle.

Through it all, she never lost her love for reading. And she wanted kids to be just as passionate about literacy – to be a ninja about reading. So, in partnership with Girls, Inc., Pinellas, United Way Suncoast initiated a program that aims to solidify her legacy and inspire a new generation to embrace reading. Thanks to a posthumous gift from Devan, nearly 100 students in the Girls, Inc./Summer Care program got the opportunity to choose from a range of age-appropriate books that they could take home and keep. They also were treated to Kona Ice.

Devan's Book Club will annually connect with Summer Care students across the region, celebrating our promotion of literacy while honoring an incredibly special person.

Please, Please, Please Join LINC For A Purposeful Party

Gather with LINC, UWS' premier leadership society for young professionals, from 6-8 p.m. on July 30 for another Philanthro-Party. We'll come together at the United Way Suncoast Tampa Bay Office (we like to call it the Suncoast Bistro), 4925 Independence Parkway, Suite 120.

This will be your chance to connect with like-minded philanthropists and leaders while supporting an effort aimed at boosting Back To School season. Sort donated school supplies & assemble kits for classroom teachers and make a difference!

Everyone is welcome! LINC is a vibrant giving society starting its second year for young professionals aged 21-40 in the Suncoast region! This isn’t your parents’ United Way—LINC is an exclusive chance for you to make a difference.

• Register for the event here: https://www.eventbrite.com/.../linc-philanthro-party...

We Got Your Back When It Comes To Back To School

Devan's Book Club and the Philanthro-Party represent just two ways United Way Suncoast has energized students as we near the first the day of school on Aug. 11. Educational Opportunity serves as one of our three impact areas, so we're working hard to help children show up in a big way. In partnership with Koozie, we've provided hundreds of backpacks -- chocked full of supplies -- for students in all five counties. Teachers have raved about the donations, noting that students who can't afford a backpack (or supplies) start the new year with a physical and emotional deficit that they don't always overcome.

We've also invited you to help us collect new and unused school supplies for our Tools for Schools drive. You can shop on our Amazon Wishlist at: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/MHN2VRQGAHNB/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex

It's worth noting, however, that our support extends through the school year with New Worlds Reading appearances, our Quality Childcare Initiative, United 4 Literacy kits and school district partnerships in all five counties. Visit www.unitedwaysuncoast.org to learn how you can make a donation to support our education initiatives and give every student the Freedom To Rise.

Getting Our Brambleberry Crisp Swerve On

We hope to see you at our Jeni's Ice Cream social on Aug. 6 at either the Sparkman Wharf location in Tampa or University Town Centre in Sarasota. It'll be one more chance to treat the kids and learn more about our Back To School efforts and how you can elevate education and early learning.

We also want to thank everyone who came out and supported United Way Suncoast at our July 16 event. We celebrated National Summer Learning week, had activities for the kids, and were so grateful to receive 25% of all proceeds during the United Way Suncoast happy hour.

We also loved the ice cream, especially since it meant eating dessert first and straying away from brussels sprouts and broccoli. Ain't no party like a Brambleberry Crisp party.