On Tuesday, Sonia Ramón received some good news from the American Red Cross. Her family was eligible for immediate financial assistance in the form of a pre-loaded debit card to help them recover from the devastation Hurricane Ian wrought on their lives.
The money will go toward keeping the lights on as the family lives in their damaged mobile home while trying to repair it and their lives. “The first thing — I owe $600 on the electricity,” Sonia said.
The money, Sonia said, will also let her start tackling the garbage bags full of unwashed laundry that have piled up because her washer and dryer were destroyed in the storm.
“Tomorrow, I’m going to do laundry,” she said.
The hurricane not only soaked the family’s mobile home and all their belongings from top to bottom, but it also took most of their sources of income. Sonia’s food truck was destroyed. Her husband, Juan Rivera, lost most of his landscaping business because many clients’ Fort Myers Beach homes no longer exist.
Although the Rivera-Ramón family evacuated across the bridge to Fort Myers before Ian hit, they soon moved back into their damaged mobile home to salvage and repair what they could.
The Red Cross was there to help from the beginning, Sonia said, bringing food when they absolutely nothing to eat, as well as providing supplies to help with cleanup.
Sonia’s adult son joined them in the damaged mobile home when his landlord said he had to leave his storm-damaged apartment so it could be repaired. The family is slowly rebuilding as they can afford building materials. One bedroom has new flooring, sheetrock, fresh paint, and furnishings — all donated, Sonia said — and four family members share the room.
In the kitchen, new plywood sheaths the floor, but Sonia said it masks holes in the mobile home’s exterior, and flooring still is lacking. Much of the rest of the home is a work in progress, with belongings piled up and repairs in progress.
To the Red Crossers who have been there for her family, Sonia had this to say: “I think you guys are amazing because most of you are volunteers,” she said. “You guys have such a heart. It’s not easy.”
“You go to the next level of being good."
Sonia said she hopes that someday she can repay some of what she has received by volunteering for the Red Cross. “I have that on my bucket list,” she said.
You can help families like the Rivera-Ramóns by donating at RedCross.org/donate or by signing up to volunteer at RedCross.org/volunteer.
You can help people affected by disasters like storms and countless other crises by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Visit redcross.org/donate, call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767), or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
Written by Barbara Wood, American Red Cross Public Affairs