Florida secures $5 million dislocated worker grant in aftermath of Hurricane Sally

Joe Mirable surveys the damage to his business after Hurricane Sally moved through Perdido Key, Sept. 16, 2020. Image via AP.

The Department of Labor on Friday awarded Florida a $5 million grant that will create temporary jobs for Floridians who were impacted by Hurricane Sally.

The various temporary jobs will center around hurricane cleanup and humanitarian aid positions. The possible tasks range from tree removal and sidewalk repair to staffing food banks and distribution centers.

“My administration is committed to securing all resources available for Floridians impacted by Hurricane Sally,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said. “I appreciate Secretary Scalia and USDOL’s swift approval of our application so that we can help Floridians quickly. These grants will provide Floridians temporary employment opportunities that will allow them to not only support their families but also help support recovery efforts for their communities.”

In order to qualify for disaster relief employment, a worker must’ve been laid off because of the storm. Self-employed workers who lost work because of the disaster can also qualify for relief.

The disaster relief program will be headed by CareerSource Florida centers in the Panhandle’s affected areas.

“The Disaster Recovery Dislocated Worker Grant will help those who lost jobs by providing employment that will also benefit their neighbors – clean up, distribution of relief supplies and other disaster assistance to help the Panhandle recover,” CareerSource Florida President and CEO Michelle Dennard said.

Hurricane Sally made landfall along the Florida/Alabama border on Sept. 16. The Category 2 storm poured nearly 30 inches of rain and caused dramatic flooding across portions of the Florida Panhandle.

In all, Sally caused nearly $30 million of damage to Florida alone.

The disaster relief program is the latest in a string of government and non-profit efforts to help the region recover amid a historic 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

On Saturday, Rep. Alex Andrade will host a food distribution event in Pensacola to also help families struggling through the COVID-19 pandemic.

More details and employment opportunities can be found online.