MIAMI — As families continue to wait for news of their missing loved ones following the collapse of the condo tower in Surfside, many others were left homeless and in need of assistance.
A lot of people "don't have a home anymore," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday in a Surfside news conference.
The American Red Cross provided emergency hotel lodging Thursday night for residents and others who were displaced by the collapse and will continue to do so for the next several days. On Friday, Red Cross-trained caseworkers also began meeting with families to help them plan next steps and provide financial assistance.
"With Red Cross volunteers on the ground and more on their way, we are meeting families where they are by distributing basic support like food, water and comfort items — and offering mental health support and spiritual care as survivors begin to process their emotions," said Siara Campbell, the regional communication director for Red Cross' operations in South Florida. Campbell did not say how many people required temporary lodgings.
Miami-Dade County spokeswoman Rachel Johnson told the Miami Herald on Friday afternoon that everyone who notified officials they were homeless because of the tragedy were placed in hotels. The group included those who lived at Champlain Towers South Condo or those evacuated from nearby buildings. Johnson said she didn't have a count of how many people required temporary housing.
Other organizations, including the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, Catholic Charities, the Salvation Army and Florida Blue have also been offering families aid. Operation Helping Hands, a partnership between United Way of Miami-Dade and the Miami Herald/el Nuevo Herald, is collecting donations to help families with their needs.
Florida is also in talks with Airbnb's nonprofit wing, Airbnb.org, which helps provide free temporary housing during emergencies. The talks revolve around creating travel vouchers to cover the cost of accommodations for those affected by the building collapse, including the families of the missing.
"Our hearts go out to all those impacted by the tragic building collapse and the first responders conducting search and rescue efforts at the scene. Airbnb.org is actively coordinating with state and local authorities to offer our support to connect those impacted with free temporary housing," Airbnb.org said in a statement.
Jacob Solomon, president and CEO of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, told the Miami Herald on Thursday that people can call the 211 hotline for help with housing, counseling and other services. A federation spokeswoman said they didn't have a count yet on how many people had requested temporary housing or counseling through the service.
Catholic Charities says it can provide housing to three families through its New Life Family Center. The agency also can help families that needs to rent at a new location, along with counseling services and emergency food gift cards. For a full list of available services and detials on how to apply, visit ccadm.org.
Anyone traveling to Miami because of missing family and is in need of assistance with travel-related matters including visas, airfare, personal documentation, can contact Lea Padron of Sen. Marco Rubio's office at Lea_Padron@Rubio.Senate.Gov, according to an Expedia webpage in partnership with the state. The website is expedia.com/gmcvb.
