Hurricane Katrina

Call 2-1-1

To improve lives and create lasting
community change by mobilizing
the caring people of Tampa Bay.

United Way of Tampa Bay is
proud to be a member of the
World Community Grid.

United Way Helps Hurricane Katrina Victims

Tampa Bay showed its huge heart on Thursday and Friday, September 8th and 9th, when it answered the call to donate food, water and personal care items to victims of Hurricane Katrina in coastal Mississippi.

United Way of Tampa Bay received the request on September 5th from Governor Bush via the Volunteer Florida organization to fill a JetBlue Airways plane with emergency supplies bound for Jackson on Saturday, September 10th!

With only one day to plan and one day to get word out to the people of Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties, United Way of Tampa Bay jumped into action to secure drop-off locations, mobilize volunteers and publicize the drive. E-mail messages were sent to the hundreds of United Way partner companies and organizations asking for their help. WFLA News Channel 8, The Tampa Tribune and TBO.com signed on as partners to help mobilize the rest of the community.

Jamia Austin, Director of the RCS Food Bank helps unload a car

An employee of a United Way partner company collected cash from his co-workers to purchase 2 pallets of water

United Way volunteers sort and pack items by category for easier distribution

A special package with a special message to a hurricane survivor

JetBlue staff enthusiastically volunteered their Saturday night to load the plane

Thanks to JetBlue and hundreds of caring people, Tampa Bay is help feeds the hungry in Mississippi

The efforts worked! In just two days, more than 100,000 pounds of food, water and personal care items were collected and packed for shipping! Hundreds of people lined up at the RCS Food Bank in Clearwater to drop off their donations. Likewise, traffic regularly filled the lot at America�s Second Harvest of Tampa Bay off Adamo Drive in Tampa. Experienced food bank staff helped coordinate the effort and volunteers came from Hands on Tampa Bay and through the Volunteer Center at UWTB to handle the enormous volume of canned food, bottled water, shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, breakfast bars and more. A few donors wrote messages on their donations. Girls Scouts delivered hand-written cards. There was even a special supply of wheelchairs sent to accompany the shipment on the plane.

On Saturday two truckloads of supplies headed to Tampa International Airport where volunteers from JetBlue Airways were waiting to load the Airbus with the emergency supplies. In less than an hour, they packed every available nook and cranny on their plane, including overhead bins and other cabin storage. The JetBlue employees were absolutely wonderful and their enthusiasm was evident as they skillfully packed the cargo area and wheeled in the wheelchairs.

A WFLA reporter accompanied the plane to Jackson where she was allowed to follow some of the items to a shelter on the Gulf Coast. Her report will be aired this week on Channel 8. Tune in to see food bought in Tampa Bay by generous donors, packed by caring volunteers and airlifted to the area by a special airline received by those in need.

This was truly a team effort that should be celebrated! Thank you to everyone who played a part in this important mission. The recovery will be long and we will be asked to help again. United Way of Tampa Bay stands ready to help when needed as we help build stronger, more caring communities.

United Way of Tampa Bay extends our deepest appreciation to our partners in this important mission. We couldn't have done it without them.

Thanks to everyone who helped!

UNITED WAY TAMPA BAY
5201 W. Kennedy Blvd., Suite 600
Tampa, FL 33609
Ph. (813) 274-0900
Fax. (813) 228-9549