WIMAUMA, Fla. — We’re getting close to the start of another hurricane season, but some families are still recovering from the storms of 2024.
Through one local group, a recovery program is helping residents repair damaged homes while also preparing for the next storm.
More than two dozen families have received help so far.
It’s been nearly two years since hurricanes Helene and Milton damaged homes across the state, but although they’re long gone, for families here in Wimauma, recovery is far from over.
“You can see where all the tree stumps are starting to grow back,” says Hildred Burroughs.
As she walks around her property, Burroughs is reminded every day of the damage left behind by Helene and Milton.
At the time, Burroughs and her seven grandchildren were preparing to move to Florida with her husband, who was already living here when the hurricanes struck.
“I’m just glad he wasn’t hurt. I’m glad we had a building to come back to,” she said.
Burroughs says heavy rain damaged their septic tank, tore out screen doors and left roof damage that still hasn’t been fully repaired. But help arrived through Enterprising Latinas’ Disaster Recovery Navigator Program.
The family received more than $4,000 in assistance to help cover repairs.
“We were able to peace meal a lot, and that really came in handy, because you cannot not have a bathroom,” Burroughs said.
The Burroughs family is one of 27 households that qualified for help through a partnership between Enterprising Latinas and the CDC of Tampa, which received disaster recovery funding from the American Red Cross.
Disaster Recovery Navigator Lisselott Ramirez says the effort started with extensive outreach, including visits to more than 300 households across the community.
“A lot of these families, their roofs were impacted, and many of them still have leaky roofs and damages to the inside of their homes,” she said.
Beyond the financial assistance, Ramirez says the program focuses on education, providing families with hurricane backpacks, emergency supplies, and disaster preparedness guides.
It is information Burroughs is already putting to good use as she builds her family’s emergency kit ahead of hurricane season.
“Why would I now not follow up to be prepared just in case,” she said.
Despite the long recovery, she remains optimistic about the future.
“The Bible says that you should be content in the position that you find yourself in, why, because it’s not going to be like this always,” she said.
The center says while not every family qualified for financial help, it wants to continue to provide that education to all families.
The CDC of Tampa is hosting a disaster recovery resource event on May 27 in St. Petersburg, where residents can connect with experts and learn more about what help is available.