The Florida Disaster Fund raised $59.2 million for Hurricane Ian emergency relief, Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday.
The state of Florida provided $25 million and generous donors gave $35.2 million to the fund, DeSantis’ office said in a press release. State funding will be used to purchase building materials and the donations will enable “verified nonprofit organizations to conduct critical temporary repairs on homes damaged by Hurricane Ian,” the press release said.
With the support of First Lady @CaseyDeSantis, the Florida Disaster Fund has raised more than $59 million, and her announcement of $10.2 million for 17 non-profits to help meet the needs of Floridians with building supplies, food, and shelter will continue to help those in need. https://t.co/9GXy79kWvN
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) December 6, 2022
Money from the Florida Disaster Fund will also address “unmet needs such as transportation, food assistance, housing aid, clothing, and household goods,” the press release stated.
“We are providing building materials and supporting nonprofit organizations to provide repairs so impacted residents can move back into their own homes,” Gov. DeSantis said. “Floridians are resilient, and the state stands by them every step of the way as they continue their recovery,” Gov. DeSantis added.
The announcement comes after Florida was denied $25 million in emergency funds by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), DeSantis said Monday.
In a press conference, he said “we’re not going to take no for an answer” and “we want to cut bureaucracy” after FEMA denied Florida’s funding request. (RELATED: DeSantis Team Responds After Media Outlet Says Governor Gets A Lot Of Undue ‘Flattering’ Coverage)
“We’re not just gonna sit there and take no for an answer […] We’re gonna figure out what we can do […] We wanna cut through bureaucracy.” pic.twitter.com/NmgwV9RGnc
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) December 5, 2022
FEMA denied the request because of its “limited authority” and “our inability to confirm that authorizing this policy expansion would achieve the intended outcomes for disaster survivors,” the agency said in a letter to Kevin Guthrie, Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
The agency has provided $3.3 billion in federal support to Florida and households for Hurricane Ian relief, according to a Monday press release.
FEMA and the White House both did not immediately respond to requests for comment by the Daily Caller. Gov. DeSantis’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment as well.
The Florida Disaster Fund is the state’s private fund established to provide financial assistance to communities during emergencies. Its fundraising effort was spearheaded by Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis, according to the press release.