The storm that changed the direction of the Florida Lantern Project.
The storm
What happened
Helene came up Florida’s Gulf Coast in late September 2024. At the time, we were still Sylvan Ramble Lights—a holiday light show charity that raised money for other organizations and had never operated a disaster-relief response.
On September 27 we posted:
URGENT. We are stepping outside of our normal mission to provide urgent support for those impacted by Hurricane Helene. If you are in need of assistance or would like to donate to those in need, visit our website.
100% of the funds raised will go directly to those in need, ensuring they receive immediate help during this challenging time.
Facebook, September 27, 2024
We had no dedicated disaster budget, formal response protocols, or staff. We did have years of relationships with local businesses and community members, and we started making calls.
Our response
What we did
A sailboat left ashore after the storm surge.
Direct financial assistance
Funds raised for the response were passed through without an administrative deduction.
Emergency shelter
Lodging arranged through hotel relationships developed before and during the response.
Transportation
Help for families who had no way to leave.
Cleanup support
Volunteer assistance in the days after the storm.
Thirteen days later
Then it happened again
Milton formed nine days after Helene’s landfall and reached Florida on October 9, 13 days after Helene.
Some families were still dealing with Helene damage when another hurricane threatened Florida. One of them was Amy—a single mother with two children, two cats, and a dog whose house had flooded and whose car had been totaled.
Lessons
What we learned
Speed matters.
During an active disaster, families need clear answers quickly. We learned to make decisions sooner and keep our intake process as simple as possible.
Existing relationships matter.
We had almost no financial resources for disaster response. What made the work possible was years of relationships with local businesses and people willing to help when we called.
Storms don’t wait for recovery.
Milton arrived before many families had finished dealing with Helene. Future planning has to account for overlapping needs, not one event at a time.