News

Northwest Florida restaurateurs help communities see way through storm

October 19, 2018

In the week since Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida Panhandle, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and its members have been busy providing meals and assistance to first responders, volunteers, evacuees and survivors of the record-setting storm, a news release said. 

FRLA staff began organizing meals for first responders in Leon County before the storm hit, and once the storm cleared northwest Florida, area restaurants went to work, giving 17,000 free meals to those in need. Hotels in the area provided emergency lodging and donated shelter bedding and supplies in the hardest-hit areas. 

"One of the best qualities of those in the hospitality industry is their commitment to service and community, and this effort is a prime example of that," FRLA President and CEO Carol Dover, said in the release. "Our members and staff truly have a heart and passion for service, and their generosity is being spread across the Panhandle in a variety of ways. Their actions are a wonderful testament to the power and spirit of hospitality."

In addition to coordinating meals and helping connect resources with needs, the FRLA staff also helped to relay information about re-entry requirements for evacuation zones, state and federal loan programs, business disaster recovery centers and reemployment assistance. Now, to expedite relief to businesses in the affected areas, FRLA has staff working in the State Emergency Operations Center in conjunction with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.