Gov. Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis today presented Better Together, a local nonprofit dedicated to children and families, with $50,000 to aid in the organization’s continued relief efforts following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The grant, made possible through the Florida Disaster Fund, was announced at a Thursday, Oct. 17 news conference in Town ‘n’ Country, a Tampa Bay community that Better Together served immediately after the storms.
With a mission to strengthen families and prevent the need for foster care, Better Together helps families weather life’s storms — a medical emergency, homelessness, addiction, isolation. A hurricane is yet another crisis, and in the aftermath of Helene and Milton, Better Together is working alongside families to serve as a support system, distribute essential supplies, provide short-term host families to care for children and offer work resources and mentorship to help parents get back on their feet.
Before Helene and Milton made landfall, Better Together volunteers were boots on the ground preparing supply trucks to deploy immediately after each storm. Volunteers have since been helping families pick up the pieces, knocking on doors in at-risk communities, delivering meals and supplies, and triaging the most urgent needs of vulnerable children and families across Florida.
“For many of the families we serve, life was difficult enough before the arrivals of Hurricanes Helene and Milton a mere two weeks apart. A crisis like this can push them over the edge, leaving their children at risk. Our goal is to step in before it comes to that point,” said Megan Rose, CEO of Better Together. “We are so thankful for Gov. DeSantis and the First Lady’s leadership, trust and support of our efforts, allowing us to help families emerge from this difficult situation stronger. The Disaster Relief Fund cuts through red tape and gets resources to those who are helping. We’re receiving referrals from Hope Florida and the Department of Children and Families, working alongside them to fill in gaps and support families.”
The nonprofit is committed to walking alongside families now and in the days, months and years to come. Efforts thus far have impacted thousands of families in Florida’s hardest-hit regions, including Hillsborough, Sarasota, Manatee, Lee, Charlotte, Putnam and St. Lucie counties.
“We have a lot of charitable organizations that are on scene here in the state of Florida. They’re doing good work, and all these resources that we’re doing are going to be able to help them provide their services and support to Floridians in need,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis during the press conference.
This is not the first time Better Together has risen to meet the needs of families in crisis after a natural disaster. Similar efforts took place following Hurricane Ian in 2022 and most recently after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend.
“We would not be able to accomplish the things that we do, and to serve the thousands of individuals that we have, without the generous hearts and acts of service by our Hope Florida partners. These entities step into the gap each and every time and they answer the call each time,” said Florida Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris during the press conference.
Harris added: “Going canvassing with Megan Rose from Better Together to help support parents and their kids with needed items, Megan shared the other day about an organization that donated 1,000 mattresses to a community that has lost everything.”
To learn more about Better Together, its mission and ways to get help, give help or support hurricane relief efforts, visit BetterTogetherUS.org/Hurricane-Relief.
ABOUT BETTER TOGETHER
Better Together is a nonprofit organization that helps parents going through a hard time keep their kids out of foster care, find work and address the root causes of their struggle so that they can reunite as a family with the tools and support system to thrive. A privately funded and professionally supported organization, Better Together is made up of volunteers who believe helping people help themselves is the best way to restore dignity and bring families together. Through the Better Families program, families are offered a preventive alternative to foster care while they get the help they need. To date, the program has kept 98% of children served out of foster care. The Better Jobs program was created to address the 76% of families that come to Better Together because of economic hardship tied to unemployment. In addition to community job fairs, the program offers job seekers coaching, guidance, support and encouragement through local church partners. For more information, visit BetterTogetherUS.org.
