Immediate Cash Support to Families & Victims
Currently, funds and resources for housing arrangements, relocation and rebuilding for displaced families directly impacted by the tragedy at Champlain Towers South are being provided directly by FEMA, Florida Department of Emergency Management and are being supported by the Red Cross.
As of now, the Red Cross has confirmed that housing is available and has been secured for all families who will be needing this assistance, in both the short and long term. The community has graciously and generously stepped up to make sure all of those who are in need of shelter, be it family members of those who perished in the building, first responders who have come in from other communities/countries, or displaced families who escaped the collapse, will have the appropriate shelter for as long as is needed during this time.
Support Surfside is onsite at the Family Assistance Center (FAC) every day working with families who are displaced, lost a loved one, or are awaiting news of a loved one to determine what is needed for them to make it through this difficult time.
Donations to Support Surfside are providing immediate cash support to families and victims to help with their personal expenses and enable as much flexibility and choice as possible to those in crisis for the things they need most.
In this first week, we have distributed $72K in prepaid cards to 130 individuals who have been directly impacted by this tragedy and we will continue to distribute these cards to families in need.
As of July 1, survivors were receiving $2500 prepaid cards plus a supplement of $1000 more for each additional family member above the first two members. We also distributed $500 prepaid cards to family members in need who had traveled in to wait for news of their missing loved ones.
Support Surfside is also working with social service agencies to continuously assess additional unmet needs as this situation continues to unfold.
MOVING FORWARD
The Support Surfside Fund was created as a way to raise private donations to support the victims of the Champlain Towers South tragedy. Over the coming week, the organizations collectively leading the fund along with dozens of community partners and leaders will be working to create clear, transparent guidelines that will guide how we administer these funds for the direct benefit of the victims.
We know that these charitable dollars will never bring back what was lost through this disaster, but our hope is these funds will provide meaningful assistance knowing that insurance support may not arrive for many months.
Impacted individuals and families of the Champlain Towers South tragedy will be eligible to apply to the Support Surfside Fund. The fund is expected to support South Tower Survivors and the families of South Tower victims, but full guidelines are forthcoming.
Our commitment to the survivors, victims, donors, and the entire community is that this Fund will be managed via a transparent, community-led process. A steering committee is in the process of being formed and Support Surfside is working to consult with national experts as we draft guidelines. We invite other organizations who have raised funds to support the victims to partner with and pool their funds with ours to allow for maximum benefit for those impacted.
As information is available about the Steering Committee, guidelines and application process it will be shared at SupportSurfside.org and shared widely.
