JACKSONVILLE, Fla – City leaders and non-profits kick started Florida's First Coast Relief Fund on Wednesday to help with disaster resistance.
Jacksonville mayor Lenny Curry said this will make a huge difference. He said that in the last two days, more than $2 million has been pledged, and he says 100 percent of that money will go toward helping people with things like food, medical supplies, repairs and housing.
Roughly 130 people are staying at the Legends Center, a shelter in northwest Jacksonville. These are people who left their homes before the storm, and they need help.
But there are many more still in need.
A number of organizations are on board and contributing, such as the Jacksonville Jaguars, Florida Blue, United Way Northeast Florida, the Jesse Ball duPont Fund Trustees and many more.
Curry said any unspent dollars will assist our neighboring counties. The public is encouraged to donate.
While Curry said he is proud of the work that has already started, he said there is still much more to do.
"I'm proud of the business community, the nonprofits, the neighbors helping each other, the first responders, but we, as government officials, have a lot of work to do," Curry said. "There's no time right now for us to be patting each other on the back."
