Written by Marcia Antipa, American Red Cross Public Affairs 

As Hurricane Milton approached South Florida last week, The Gladiolus Food Pantry in Fort Myers, a Red Cross partner organization, stayed open as long as possible. Finally, at 1:00 pm, Founder and Executive Director Miriam Ortiz was forced to shut the doors and seek shelter. 

But the very next day, she was delivering water, food and ice to people who could not evacuate and now had no power.

Miriam and her crew of volunteers were able to stay up and running, even after the hurricane hit, in part due to their partnership with the Red Cross.  As part of the new Community Adaptability Program (CAP), the Red Cross provided a new generator to maintain the food pantry during power outages.

“Just imagine having a hurricane, and nobody has electricity,” says Miriam Ortiz.  “We can have our big walk-in freezer full of ice or meat or things people need.”

With assistance from the Red Cross CAP program, partners with hyperlocal groups like the food pantry are able to bring critical services to the most vulnerable neighborhoods during times of disaster. 

“We are trying to foster resilience ahead of the next disaster,” said Astoria Aviles of the Red Cross CAP program.

Red Cross emergency response vehicles also made deliveries to the pantry location, so people waiting to collect their groceries could get a hot lunch, snacks and cold water.

Families arriving at the food pantry were guided through the neatly stocked shelves by Red Cross volunteers like Gabriela Perez Albarracin of Monterrey, California, shop for groceries.  Gabriela said giving clients food choices gives them dignity and respects cultural differences. Gabriela credits Miriam Ortiz for the success of the pantry.

“Miriam provides a ‘resilience hub,’” Gabriela said. “She hears from the community what the needs are, and she tries to meet them with the partners she has and the friendships she’s building.”

“Seniors especially need the help offered here,” says Astoria Aviles. “They are spending more of their money on rent; they can’t afford their medicines or food. So if you can offer them their food for the month, they can now afford their medicine.”

The CAP program helps the pantry offer more than just groceries, and another Red Cross partner is bringing mobile health services to the pantry site.  The Red Cross also provided the services of an electrician, mobile translation devices to help non-English-speaking clients, and a floor scrubbing machine.

“Partnering with the Red Cross is the best decision we ever made,” says Miriam Ortiz.

If you would like to help the Red Cross provide food, shelter and resiliency for communities recovering from disaster, visit redcross.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS.