Seminole Tribe to donate $1M to Red Cross, World Central Kitchen hurricane relief efforts

Volunteers and team members from Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa and World Central Kitchen organize meals for storm victims taking shelter at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Event Center in Tampa, Florida. Image via Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.

As they work to help those impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the American Red Cross and World Central Kitchen are getting a $1 million boost, courtesy of the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

The Seminole Tribe announced it will donate money directly and through its Hard Rock International brand to support aid, recovery and long-term rebuilding projects planned and ongoing from Florida to the Carolinas and Tennessee.

That’s in addition to the Tribe opening its Event Center doors at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa to serve as a shelter for displaced people. To date, the center has welcomed more than 1,000 individuals, offering essential services, food and medical care.

Seminole Tribe Chair Marcellus Osceola Jr. said the Tribe has always been committed to helping its neighbors in times of crisis.

“With the help of our dedicated teams across Florida, we are able to make a meaningful impact for those in need,” he said. “We’d like to thank Gov. Ron DeSantis for his partnership in uplifting our communities at this critical time.”

The Red Cross is now working on hurricane relief across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina, providing vital supplies and sustenance to affected communities. A Seminole press note said nearly 2,000 Red Cross workers are supporting Helene and Milton recovery efforts, including some 700 in Florida.

World Central Kitchen, founded by chef José Andrés, has been on the ground since Helene struck Florida’s Big Bend area Sept. 26 at Category 4 strength and continued its work after Hurricane Milton hit the Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm two weeks later.

It has handed out tens of thousands of meals to families, first responders and evacuees across the Southeast, including at a mobile kitchen at the Hard Rock Tampa Event Center.

The organization has also prepared and delivered more than 1,000 meals at other shelter sites in the city.

“Opening our doors to displaced families in Tampa and providing financial support is just the beginning of our ongoing commitment to the recovery efforts,” said Jim Allen, Chair of Hard Rock International and CEO of Seminole Gaming. “We are very grateful for the incredible work our partners at World Central Kitchen and American Red Cross do across the globe.”

Outages after Milton peaked at nearly 3.4 million customers in Florida last week the day after the storm. By Monday afternoon, just over 369,000 remained powerless, according to the Public Service Commission.

Florida Politics has a list of how those wishing to help with recovery efforts can best do so. Read it here.