Photo courtesy of Florida Power & Light Company (FPL)

With the start of summer storm season looming closer, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) recently partnered with Sarasota's Senior Friendship Centers to provide three days' worth of shelf-stable provisions to seniors. Last Friday, a team of representatives and volunteers from FPL and Senior Friendship packaged meals and supplies into hurricane kits, then distributed them to over 200 pre-registered seniors in Sarasota. 

Senior Friendship Centers is a nonprofit organization serving older adults in four counties in Southwest Florida—promoting health, dignity and quality of life throughout individuals' journey of aging. "We want to help as many people as we can just in case people lose power or run out of food," says Erin McLeod, President & CEO of the Friendship Centers, "Florida Power stepped right in to fill a lot of pantries with shelf-stable meals and we're so excited to be able to help." 

Since 2016, FPL has worked with local community nonprofits to deliver thousands of hurricane kits to help seniors prepare for storm season, and with the start of what is anticipated to be another active storm season, this annual effort will help provide vital supplies to more seniors in the communities FPL serves. In total, more than 600 hurricane preparedness and meal kits will be delivered in Sarasota County—including nutritious snacks and bottled water for those who may not be able to leave their house or receive home-delivered meals after a bad storm.  "Many of these residents don't have the ability to leave their homes following a storm," says Devaney Iglesias, FPL External Affairs Manager, "and this allows them to prepare by giving them kits that contain meals, water and snacks for up to three days, should they need it in the event of a hurricane or tropical storm." 

For more information on how customers can prepare, including tips, checklists and more, visit FPL.com/storm.

Photo courtesy of Florida Power & Light Company (FPL)