On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall near Cayo Costa in southwestern Florida.  Packing sustained winds of 155 mph and a storm surge of 6-18 feet, this very strong Category 4 hurricane devastated the barrier islands of Captiva, Sanibel, and Pine Island in particular, as well as broad sections of the coast including Fort Myers Beach.

This storm made landfall less than 45 miles from our office on Siesta Key.  Most of the homes we manage were spared substantial damage from the storm, but many of our colleagues in the hospitality industry further south were not so lucky.  Homes and offices, restaurants and bars, stores and shops were all literally wiped away.  More than just structures, these represent years of visitors’ memories and thousands of jobs for the local community.

The national media has moved on from the images and stories from the storm, but the struggle continues as the locals clean up, restore their infrastructure, and rebuild all that was lost.  To help, Prime Vacations is partnering with the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, to establish a relief fund to help support this effort, which will take years.  This fund, directed by GCCF, will continue to provide emergency support, including food and shelter, but also offer grants to repair homes and businesses and support to those whose employment was affected by the storm.