As Polk County embarks on recovering from Hurricane Milton, Polk County Emergency Management is working to connect residents to resources. Below you will find the list of residential and commercial resources, as well as, others. Resources will be added as the come available.
Residential Recovery Resources
Long-Term Recovery
Two organizations are working in Polk County to make hurricane-damaged homes safe and livable:
Inspiritus Disaster Relief (501c3 Nonprofit)
Inspiritus’ focus is providing long-term recovery assistance for families and individuals with unmet needs following a natural disaster. Inspiritus’ work includes assisting and managing home repairs and construction, assessing each family’s or individual’s comprehensive needs and ensuring those needs are met.
https://weinspirit.org/disaster-relief
Rebuilding Together Greater Florida (501c3 Nonprofit)
This nonprofit helps homeowners affected by hurricanes with free home repairs and renovations, including structural damage, roof replacements, plumbing, and electrical repairs. They also provide accessibility modifications for elderly and disabled residents. They work with homeowners (not renters) and cannot repair mobile homes built before 1976.
Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR)
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that the state of Florida would receive Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding to support long-term resiliency and mitigation efforts following the 2023 and 2024 storms. Polk County is included with forty-six other counties identified for CDBG-DR funding. Polk County officials meet with the Florida Department of Commerce on March 24th to discuss hurricane impacts and express the need for additional disaster aid programs.
FEMA
The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance closed on Jan. 7, 2025.
(800) 621-3362 (FEMA)
Download the FEMA mobile app or visit DisasterAssistance.gov
Hope Florida
Connects residents with resources for food, household losses and home repairs.
(833) 438-4673
American Red Cross
Temporary shelter, mental health resources and recovery case management
(800) 733-2767
Business Resources
Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program
FloridaJobs.org/EBL
(833) 832-4494
EmergencyBridgeLoan@Commerce.fl.gov
US Small Business Disaster Assistance
Physical Damage and Economic Injury Loans
sba.gov/hurricane-milton
(800) 659-2955
disastercustomerservice@sba.gov
Private Non-Profit Organizations
Low-Interest Disaster Loans
sba.gov/disaster
(800) 659-2955
disastercustomerservice@sba.gov
Additional Resources
Price Gouging
https://legacy.myfloridalegal.com/Contact.nsf/PriceGouging!OpenForm
Disaster Scams
https://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrelease/consumer-alert-attorney-general-moody-warns-floridians-about-disaster-related-scams
Florida Rural Legal Services
https://www.myfloridalegal.com/vicitm-services-providers/florida-rural-legal-services#:~:text=(888)%20532%2D3410,legalserver.org%20(online%20intake)
Florida Disaster Legal Aid Helpline
(833) 514-2940
