Shelter, food, showers and more: Here’s how Fort Lauderdale flood victims can get help
The city of Fort Lauderdale announced Wednesday evening that the remaining flood survivors at the Holiday Park shelter will soon be taken to a church in Lauderdale Lakes.
The Red Cross is serving 40 people at the city’s reunification center at Holiday Park, 1150 G. Harold Martin Dr., which is expected to close by Friday afternoon. The ones who stay will be taken to Merrell United Methodist Church in Lauderdale Lakes, 3900 FL-7, the city said in a news release.
On Tuesday, the Red Cross closed one of its shelters in Fort Lauderdale because the number of evacuees started to dwindle following historic rainfalls and widespread flooding last week. The center had exceeded its capacity of 100 people Saturday night, prompting authorities to temporarily open a second one at First Presbyterian Church, 451 Tarpon Terr., now closed.
The Holiday Park shelter is providing temporary lodging, emotional support, food and personal care items to survivors. It is also accepting pets in kennels.
“Our teams have been working around the clock to provide comfort and care to the community here in Fort Lauderdale,” Paula Prendergast, executive director of the American Red Cross Broward County Chapter, said Tuesday. “We are here for the community as long as they need us.”
For those who need services other than temporary housing, check out these additional resources.
Where are the ‘comfort stations’ in Fort Lauderdale?
If you have a safe place to sleep but need things like water, food, restrooms, charging stations or showers, there are two “comfort stations” operating from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.:
▪ Shirley Small Park: 1230 SW 34th Ave.
▪ Broward County Fleet Service Center: 2515 SW 4th Ave.
And a third station is serving food only:
▪ New Hope Missionary Baptist Church: 1321 NW 6th St.
Food is no longer being served at the previous location, Provident Park: 1412 NW 6th St.
READ MORE: ‘Barely made it out.’ Here’s how to help victims of South Florida’s severe flooding
As of Tuesday, over 4,950 meals have been served both in the shelter and in the community. Red Cross has also distributed over 1,400 meal kits to those in need.
And there is more aid on the way.
Transportation Edgewood residents
The city has established shuttle service in the hard-hit Edgewood neighborhood to connect neighbors there with the shelter and to a comfort center. One bus is making a loop through Edgewood to bring residents to the comfort center at Broward Fleet. The other is an express route to the Holiday Park shelter.
“All residents need to do is wave the shuttle down and it will stop for them,” the city said Wednesday in a news release.
Help for businesses and workers
Starting Monday, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and Division of Emergency Management will set up a mobile office in Fort Lauderdale at Park and Ride Lot, 216 NW 22nd Ave., to assist businesses and employees affected by last week’s rain bomb.
Staff will be available to assist with services like damage assessment, business planning and job searches.
READ MORE: Picking up or returning a rental car in Miami? Here are tips to survive the gas crunch
The site plans to open Monday at 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. Then on Tuesday, the mobile office’s hours will be from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m..
All businesses impacted by the flooding are encouraged to complete a “Business Damage Assessment Survey” at floridadisaster.biz.
What can residents do if their homes were damaged?
Fort Lauderdale residents with damage to their homes are encouraged to document and report it to the city. If you had 12 or more inches of water inside your home, call the city’s 24/7 customer service center at 954-828-8000 or complete this form online.
City Fire inspectors have conducted nearly 1,000 property damage assessments as of Wednesday. Of those, more than 700 of them have been categorized as major damage.
The city is also encouraging homeowners to rely on their flood insurance policies for assistance.
READ MORE: Fort Lauderdale counts flooded homes in hopes of FEMA help. So far, nearly 1,000
How can homeowners prepare for debris removal?
Debris removal trucks were deployed Monday morning in Fort Lauderdale, and they will only operate during daytime hours.
To prepare, the city is encouraging homeowners to follow these guidelines:
▪ Separate construction and demolition debris from appliances.
▪ Place debris on the area between the sidewalk and the roadway and away from trees, poles, fire hydrants and storm drains.
▪ If you don’t have a sidewalk, ditch or utility line in front of your house, place debris at the edge of your property before the curb.
Free storage
There is also help for people who were able to salvage some of their belongings.
U-Haul is offering 30 days of free storage for new clients at its Coconut Creek location, 5431 Johnson Rd., in Broward. To make sure there is storage space available, first call U-Haul Moving & Storage of Coconut Creek at 954-428-7369.
Other ways you can get help
The city of Fort Lauderdale has created a survey to collect and identify needs and connect neighbors with partner organizations that can assist. To complete the Neighbor Needs Assessment, click here. And if you have concerns about mosquitoes, fill out the Mosquito Service Request Form or call 311.
Miami Herald staff writers David Neal and Grethel Aguila contributed to this report.
This story was originally published April 16, 2023 at 5:07 PM.
