Save the Children Working to Help Florida Kids, Families ‘Heal and Return to Normal’ in Wake of Destructive Hurricane Milton

Global Humanitarian Organization Helping Ensure Families Receive Critical, Child-Focused Supplies, Supporting Child Care Recovery and Mental Health Needs

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Oct. 10, 2024) — After deadly Hurricane Milton ripped across Florida overnight, Save the Children is working to meet the urgent and long-term needs of children and families hardest hit by the devastating storm.

Having pre-positioned emergency supplies ahead of Hurricane Milton, Save the Children is helping ensure essential, child-focused supplies are getting into the hands of children and families impacted by the storm– including diapers and baby wipes. The global humanitarian organization is also communicating with local education partners to understand the extent of the destruction and help restore child care and early learning centers damaged by the powerful storm. In addition, Save the Children’s psychosocial team is connecting with community partners to assess the mental health needs of impacted children and caregivers, to begin planning long-term recovery support.

“Hurricane Milton’s deadly winds, storm surge and flash flooding have put children in storm-weary Florida at great risk, threatening their homes, schools and communities. These children and their families greatly need our help now and well into the future,” said David Niersbach, head of Save the Children’s emergency response and recovery team. “Save the Children is committed to supporting Florida children and families as long as it takes in the wake of this catastrophic storm, helping them heal and return to normal.”

To speed up and strengthen child care supports after hurricanes and emergencies, Save the Children established the Gulf Coast Resilience Network – a partnership of child care networks in five hurricane prone states, including Florida. Network supports provided by Save the Children include child care emergency preparedness training, mental health supports for children and parents, and guidance and training to quicken child care center access to federal disaster aid funding.

Save the Children has been supporting children’s most critical needs after U.S. hurricanes and emergencies since 2005, including Hurricanes Irma, Michael, Ian, Idalia, Debby, Beryl and Helene in Florida. In response to Hurricane Helene in Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee, Save the Children continues to coordinate emergency distributions of child-centric supplies, help child care centers recover, and plan long-term mental health supports to help children, and their families cope and build resilience.

By contributing to the Children's Emergency Fund, you can help Save the Children protect kids in the United States when disasters like Hurricane Helene strikes. To learn more about Save the Children, please go to www.SavetheChildren.org.

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