We all know that the effects of Hurricane Ian still linger in more ways than one - some have moved away, some are still living with no home, some are still fighting insurance companies, and some still have piles of debris out front. We are so proud of how strong our community is and how much we pulled together after this disaster. 

Here are some tips on recovering emotionally from a disaster - please seek help if needed - there are many mental health resources available to you!

If you are willing and able to help during these tough times, considering donating your time, money, or resources to helping others in need! Here is a list of places that are accepting donations and volunteers for a good cause.

Did you know that United Way 211 offers help in multiple ways??

• Call 2-1-1 or 239-433-3900  | non-emergency helpline; 24/7, 365 days a year, English and Spanish speakers available
• Online Chat:  Community Resource Specialists are available Monday-Friday 10am-2pm to assist you with resources.   Chat services are unavailable on holidays.
• Online search of resources

Quick Links:
FEMA and Government
Food, Supplies, Resources and Free Meals
Free Wi-Fi
Housing Relief
Medical Services
Parks and Playgrounds
School District of Lee County
Utilities and Cell Service
Other Resources

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) And Government Assistance:

• Apply for individual disaster assistance online
  • Download the FEMA mobile app
  • Call 1-800-621-3362 between 7am - 11pm ET.
  • Visit a Disaster Recover Center

Food, Supplies, Resources and Free Meals: 

• Community Cooperative
• EBT/SNAP Benefits  |  Apply online for Food Replacement, or Food assistance through Access FL / DCF.
• FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers:
• Macaroni KID's Food Pantry Guide *Be sure to verify their hours and supplies due to Hurricane Ian*
• FK Your Diet, 19630 S Tamiami Trl, Ft Myers  |  Daily
  • Free hot meals are still being provided daily on Fort Myers Beach
• Gladiolus Food Pantry, 10511 Gladiolus Drive, Fort Myers  |  (239) 437-8122
• Harry Chapin Food Bank Emergency Distributions, 3925 Evans Ave, Fort Myers
• Salvation Army, Our Choice Food Pantry, 2476 Edison Ave, Fort Myers  |  Monday - Friday, 9am - 4pm

Free Wi-Fi

• SpaceX / Elon Musk's Starlink Satellites  |  Elon Musk donated many of his Starlink Satellites to locations throughout Southwest Florida. 
  • Fort Myers YMCA branch, 1360 Royal Palm Square Blvd, Fort Myers
  • Bayfront Bistro, Fort Myers Beach
  • Aubuchon Homes, South Cape Hub, 4707 SE 9th Pl & Club Square Parking Lot
    Network: LEEHEALTH04
    Password: IANLEECO2022
  • Sanibel Community Church, 1740 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel
  • Santini Plaza / Fire House Station 33, Fort Myers Beach
    Network: FireStation33
    Password: FireHouse
  • Fort Myers Beach Library
    Password: IANLEECO2022
  • Sanibel Locations - Wi-Fi names start with "LeeCo" + passwords are IANLEECO2022 
    • Fort Myers Beach Chamber
    • Jerry's Foods of Sanibel
    • Sanibel Captiva Community Bank by Bailey's
    • Island Inn Sanibel
    • Tween Waters Island Resort

Housing Relief:

• Click here for disaster relief resources and information for homeowners, renters, landlords, etc.
• If you have been displaced due to Hurricane Ian, find a new rental, here.

Medical Services:

• DispatchHealth, a partner of Lee Health - offering home visits for patients with injuries and illnesses that aren't immediately life-threatening. This service is available in Lee County, seven days a week from 8am - 8pm. Provides advanced services in the home, such as IV medications, IV hydration, laceration repair and much more. Call 239-301-3730.
• FL Department of Health - Lee County - Listing open clinics and locations
• Lee Health - most locations are OPEN. Click here for a list of closures.
• Lee Health TeleHealth, an urgent care telehealth service - free until further notice. Patients can access telehealth 24/7 by using the “Lee TeleHealth” app, clicking here, or by calling 855-635-1393.
• Mobile Field Hospital - containing 100 beds and an emergency department located at the Edison Mall in the former Sears building is open for services. This facility serves the general public, providing diagnosis and treatment of a variety of issues routinely seen at traditional hospitals. 
• Mobile Health Clinic - set up at Estero Recreation Center, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd., Estero.  The clinic is currently open 24 hours a day providing urgent care services. 
• Premier Mobile Health - provides access to quality healthcare services to those who need it.
• Check out our Mental Health Resource Guide and don't be afraid to reach out! If you don't feel comfortable reaching out, please feel free to email me to vent and let it go.

Parks and Playgrounds:

Lee County Parks and Recreation: They've uploaded an interactive park open/closure map on this link!

Cape Coral Parks and Recreation: Updated as of 11/26/22 at 7pm

School District of Lee County:

Based off of the nine (9) safety criteria set by the district, all schools are back in a learning environment. In order to return to a school building, the safety criteria must be met. *Updated 10/25/22 at 8pm*

Utilities and Cell Service:

Comcast / Xfinity  |  For assistance, chat with an Xfinity assistant or call 1-800-934-6489.

Florida Power and Light (FPL)  |  All customers impacted by Hurricane Ian have been essentially restored. For financial and repair assistance, you can apply online.

Lee County Electric Coop (LCEC)  |  See link for post-hurricane Ian updates and safety info. 

Water  |  As of 11/26/22 at 7pm, Boil water notices in Lee County have been RESCINDED for all EXCEPT: Fountain View RV Park and Imperial Terrace West.

Other Resources:

• Critical Unmet Needs Form - English / Spanish - A survey for survivors of Hurricane Ian who have critical unmet needs.
• Emergency Information - Press Releases, Gov. DeSantis' Updates, and more
• Florida 511 - Real-time traffic updates.
• Florida Highway Patrol - Live Traffic crash and road conditions reports, updated every 5 minutes.
• Found Safe Persons - Click the link to report a person found, safe.
• Hurricane Ian Financial Assistance - via Lee County Government
• Hurricane Ian Imagery - Satellite View of Hurricane Ian across FL.
• Lee County Government - Hurricane Ian Resources
• Price Gouging - State law prohibits unreasonable price increases for essential products due to a declared state of emergency. Visit the link to report it, or call 1-866-966-7226.
• Mental Health Assistance 
  • National Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990.
  • NAMI Helpline: 1-8000-950-6264 or text 9-8-8.
• Missing Persons - Click the link to report a missing person.
• Scams - Understanding and learning how to stop and prevent fraud. Email or call 1-866-223-0814 to report fraud.
• State Parks - Click the link for state park closures and updates.
• Storm Debris and Trash Cleanup - View garbage collection schedules and information here. For cart replacements, click here: Fort Myers or Cape Coral.
• United Way 211 – Call or go online for resources available to you.

Want to get in touch with us? Contact your publisher (Arianna) at mackidfortmyersbeach@macaronikid.com.

*This link contains an affiliate link and Macaroni Kid Fort Myers - Fort Myers Beach receives a commission from purchases made through this link- at no additional cost to you!