In response to the devastation and loss of life caused by Hurricane Ian, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation has granted $250,000 in funding to support relief efforts in severely affected communities. The hurricane, which made landfall in Florida on September 28, has killed at least 92 people and displaced hundreds more across Florida, South Carolina, and the Caribbean. The Foundation stands with all of these communities during this challenging time.
Funds will support both short-term needs—including shelter for those displaced from their homes, emergency food, and case management—as well as longer-term responses. Hurricane Ian caused an estimated $67 billion in damages, making it one of the costliest hurricanes in U.S. history. Funds will therefore also support rebuilding housing and vital infrastructure, as well as ongoing care for those affected.
The Weinberg Foundation is funding the following grants:
- $125,000 to Jewish Federations of North America to support local nonprofits in several communities, primarily on the western coast of Florida, that are providing direct services to victims and community members, the majority of whom are older adults. Funds will support shelter, emergency food and water, and ongoing case management, as well as the long-term rebuilding of these communities.
- $125,000 to Collaboratory to support a collaborative relief fund set up by three community foundations—Collaboratory, Collier Community Foundation, and Charlotte Community Foundation—serving five of the most severely hit counties in Florida: Lee, Hendry, Glades, Collier, and Charlotte. Collaboratory is disbursing support to area nonprofits that are providing temporary housing, food, water, gas, child care, and job-placement services.
The Weinberg Foundation’s response to other recent emergencies and disasters includes $250,000 after the mass shooting in Highland Park, Ill.; $250,000 after the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas; $250,000 after the mass shooting in Buffalo, New York; and $1 million after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
