Hurricane Ian Relief Fund

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.

Total Donations Raised so far

We ask for your help to reach a fundraising goal of $100,000.  All donations are tax deductible.

Prime Vacations will separately match every donation made up to this goal, providing up to $200,000 in grant money if we meet our goal.

We selected Gulf Coast Community Foundation as a partner first because, as an established Community Foundation located in the affected area, they have an extensive list of vetted local charities ready to put grant money to work.   Second, they have a perfect Charity Navigator score of 100, helping to assure us that GCCF is a well managed, low overhead organization that does an excellent job of maximizing the value of every dollar.

On behalf of the recipients of the aid you offer, thank you for your donation.  With our help, they can rebuild!