Save the Children who advocate for children in Florida

Global humanitarian organization helps ensure families receive essential, child-friendly care and supports child care recovery and mental health needs

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Oct. 10, 2024) – After deadly Hurricane Milton slammed into Florida overnight, Save the Children is working to meet the urgent and long-term needs of the children and families most affected by the devastating storm.

By providing emergency supplies in advance of Hurricane Milton, Save the Children is helping to ensure vital, child-friendly supplies get into the hands of the children and families most affected by the storm – including diapers and baby wipes. The global humanitarian organization is also communicating with local education partners to understand the extent of the destruction and help restore child care and early learning centers damaged by the powerful storm. Additionally, Save the Children’s psychosocial team works with community partners to assess the mental health needs of affected children and caregivers and begin planning long-term recovery support.

“Hurricane Milton’s deadly winds, storm surge and flash flooding put children in storm-stricken Florida at great risk and threatened their homes, schools and communities. These children and their families urgently need our help now and in the future,” said David Niersbach, head of Save the Children’s emergency and recovery team. “Save the Children is committed to supporting Florida children and families for as long as needed after this catastrophic storm and helping them heal and return to normalcy.”

To accelerate and strengthen child care after hurricanes and emergencies, Save the Children launched the Gulf Coast Resilience Network – a partnership of child care networks in five hurricane-prone states, including Florida. Network supports provided by Save the Children include child care emergency preparedness training, child and parent mental health support, and guidance and training to accelerate child care centers’ access to federal disaster relief funds.

Save the Children has been supporting the most urgent needs of children following hurricanes and emergencies in the United States since 2005, including Hurricanes Irma, Michael, Ian, Idalia, Debby, Beryl and Helene in Florida. In response to Hurricane Helene in Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee, Save the Children continues to coordinate emergency distribution of supplies for children, help daycare centers recover, and plan long-term mental health support to help children and their families cope with the crisis help build resilience.

By contributing to the Children’s Emergency Fund, you can help Save the Children protect children across the United States when disasters like Hurricane Helene strike. To learn more about Save the Children, please visit www.SavetheChildren.org.

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