Over the next two weeks, volunteers will fan out across Lee County—to help people who are still struggling with the aftermath of hurricanes. The Lee County Long Term Recovery Committee has teamed up with the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee to find people who are having trouble rebuilding. Long Term Disaster Recovery Coordinator, Patricia Howell, says they first have to determine which resident still need help.

“We used a scatter map first of all, and then we took all the property appraisers, all the information they had from the self-report after the hurricanes, and we’re taking that information and going out to the designated areas, and we’re trying to find, to target the uninsured people, the underinsured, that are having insurance short-falls. This includes the elderly and those with disabilities as well.”

Once they’ve gathered relevant data, they’ll prioritize which cases need to be handled first. Caseworkers will then visit homes in-person… and document needed repairs. Then—hopefully—the rebuilding can begin. Financial assistance to do so might come from non-profits, the federal government, and faith-based groups. This Friday and Saturday, the Long-Term Recovery Team will be at four locations in Lee County… to meet with residents who still need hurricane help. Those locations are: The Home Depot in North Fort Myers, The Shell Factory, The North Fort Myers Library, and the Suncoast Outreach Community Center.