United Way in need of volunteers for Hurricane Ian recovery

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Oct. 14, 2022 - PRLog -- United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades counties is seeking volunteers to assist with Hurricane Ian recovery efforts.

Following the devastating impacts of Hurricane Ian, the team at United Way has been on the frontlines, working tirelessly to assist the Southwest Florida community at large. To continue to meet the needs of the community volunteers are needed in many different capacities.

"Volunteers are a critical part of a well-coordinated humanitarian response and with a disaster of this magnitude, there's an urgent need for those individuals and groups willing to donate their time and services," said Jeannine Joy, President and CEO of United Way. "Not only does giving back help us feel like we are making a difference, but it's also critical to recovery for our neighbors in crisis. We are grateful for all those who have volunteered during this devastating time and ask for the continued support for our partners as the recovery process continues."

The United Way Volunteer Center creates connections between volunteer opportunities and individuals, families, businesses, and groups throughout Lee, Hendry, and Glades counties. Through United Way alone, more than 1,100 people have volunteered since Hurricane Ian devastated the community and more volunteer opportunities are being added daily and include providing food and water distribution for families, mucking out homes, tutoring for students, operating forklifts, unloading and sorting donations, delivering food, tarping roofs, and assisting with FEMA applications, to name just a few.

Visit the volunteer portal to sign up for up-to-date post-hurricane volunteer opportunities. Volunteer opportunities can be found at https://volunteer.unitedwaylee.org/. (https://volunteer.unitedwaylee.org/)

It is important to understand that when signing up to volunteer your attendance is counted on to meet the needs of the organization. If you are unable to attend a volunteer opportunity you have signed up for, please contact the organization you are assisting and inform them of your change in plans. Recording the volunteer hours will allow United Way to apply for more grants in the long-term recovery process.

For those looking to support relief efforts through a monetary donation the United Way and the Collaboratory have created an easy-to-use portal. Visit SWFLReliefFund.org (https://swfla.iphiview.com/swfla/OnlineDonation/tabid/542...) to contribute to the SWFL Emergency Relief Fund.

About United Way

In addition to raising funds for human service organizations in our community, United Way promotes partnerships and collaborations among agencies, helping them to work together focusing on issues that improve lives. United Way's mission is "United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades is a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for all people in our community." United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades was established in 1957 and over $200 million has been raised and distributed since that time. For more information, please call 239-433-2000 or visit UnitedWayLee.org.