Thanks to Florida’s First Coast Relief Fund, 15 agencies have received nearly $1.3 million to assist with disaster-relief resources as of Oct. 13, 2017. More grants are pending. For timely updates, visit the Relief Fund reporting webpage.

One of the grantees, Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry – also known as BEAM – received $48,000 in order to provide rent assistance and food resources to clients affected by Hurricane Irma.

Beaches resident George was recently referred to BEAM for financial assistance through United Way’s 2-1-1 information and referral hotline.

George, his family and his apartment safely made it through Hurricane Irma. However, he and his wife both work hourly jobs, and the strong winds and storm surges affected their employers. George and his wife were not able to work for several days. No work meant no money coming in.

Thanks to Florida’s First Coast Relief Fund, BEAM was able to provide George and his family with rent assistance, which relieved them of the immediate financial burden as well as the possibility of further strain.

For more information on BEAM, visit jaxbeam.org. To learn more about Florida’s First Coast Relief Fund, visit unitedwaynefl.org/releiffund.