Lee Commissioners authorize Multi-Agency Resource Center for tornado recovery effort

Fort Myers, FL, Jan. 21, 2022 – The Lee Board of County Commissioners has authorized the opening of a Multi-Agency Resource Center to aid residents impacted by the Jan. 16 tornado with the opportunity for one-stop service.

The Center will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday beginning Saturday, Jan. 22, at the Wa-Ke Hatchee Recreation Center, 16760 Bass Road in Fort Myers.

Participating organizations include:

The American Red Cross

Lee County Human & Veteran Services

The Lee County Tax Collector

The Salvation Army

Harry Chapin Food Bank

Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida

United Way

Center for Progress and Excellence

Catholic Charities

Lee County opened the Multi-Agency Resource Center to provide residents directly impacted by the tornado with easy access to assistance organizations. State and federal partners continue to mobilize long-term recovery assistance.

Organizations at the Center will assess individual needs and work to allocate available resources. Identification and proof of residency will be requested at the site. Examples include driver’s licenses, utility bills, insurance cards, mortgage statements or any other documents that match the address at which the impacted property is located. Staff will have a list of impacted residences for those who do not have documentation.

For transportation assistance to the Center, call 211. For more information and resources related to the storm, log on to www.leegov.com/storm.

The latest damage assessment from the storm is 74 homes destroyed, 61 homes with major damage and 58 with minor damage.

Lee County residents not impacted by the storm but in need of agency services should call Lee County Human & Veteran Services at 239-533-7930 or visit https://www.leegov.com/dhs/assistance.

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MEDIA ADVISORY:

WHAT:

B-roll availability; staff and agency representative interviews.

WHEN: 8:30 to 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 22.

Note: This is prior to the center opening Saturday.

WHERE:  Wa-Ke Hatchee Recreation Center, 16760 Bass Road in Fort Myers

HOW IT WILL WORK:

The Center will be set up in conference rooms inside Wa-Ke Hatchee.

Following the media availability time period, the Center will be accessible only to impacted residents out of respect for their privacy as they discuss their needs with participating agencies.

Media are welcome to conduct interviews outside the rec center; we ask that you refrain from doing interviews in the lobby.

ON SITE MEDIA CONTACT SATURDAY:

Lee County Communications Specialist Ray Sarracino, cell: (239) 898-2897.

Notes to media:

We do not have availability today for media interviews with staff, as we are mobilizing the Multi-Agency Resource Center.

We appreciate media sharing this information today and coming tomorrow morning if your staffing allows.

Media outlets who cannot attend Saturday can contact Communications Director Betsy Clayton next week to obtain B-roll inside the Center and with requests for potential interviews.