Hurricane Michael struck Florida’s panhandle with Category Four strength. The Second Harvest of Central Florida is prepping nearly 6,000 boxes to send in aid impacted areas.
Vice President of Development Gregg Higgerson stood in the Costco-sized food bank with towering stacks of canned food, refrigerators, and beeping forklifts. He said there’s one answer to getting nearly 6,000 boxes of food to the right place after a disaster, “coordination is king when these things happen.”
The food bank partners with local emergency operation centers for cell tower tracking to determine where the most people have congregated after a natural disaster.
The strategy allows the group to be more effective, “we certainly don’t want to become a disaster within a disaster to sort of sending things randomly. We went to make things a coordinated effort so that people get exactly what the need when they need it,” said Higgerson.
He urged well-meaning individuals to steer away from donating clothes or food independently.
According to the Center for International Disaster Information, sending money to a relief agency is the most efficient way for individuals to help.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida will hold two more volunteer packing events this week.