HURRICANE MICHAEL RELIEF + RECOVERY

October 2018—August 2020

On October 10, 2018 Hurricane Michael made landfall on the Florida Panhandle, damaging 60,000 homes and resulting in insured losses of nearly $7 billion.

From The Sonder Project’s headquarters in Santa Rosa Beach, we mobilized resources through our network and continued to support the recovery until every penny was spent.

Dollars Raised/Spent

Meals Served

Hurricane Michael statistics

People Requested Aid

Residential Property Insurance Claims

Billion in Damages

more debris than Hurricane Irma

THE SONDER PROJECT’S RESPONSE

The Sonder Project had volunteers on the ground the day after the storm. Here’s what we accomplished before we ended our efforts in August of 2020:

Volunteer Hours

Households Supported

Families Sponsored for Christmas

Homes Cleared of Trees and Yard Debris

Homes Fitted with Tarps

Homes with Restored Electrical Power

Homes with Major Roof Repairs

Homes with Major Drywall Repairs

Homes Completely Rebuilt

the destruction we witnessed was terrible, but the resiliency we observed in the people we served was most powerful.

Hurricane Michael News

Annie-Jean

Annie-Jean

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow may never be, so I am focused on today.” – Annie-Jean
Annie-Jean, 67, was born and raised in Panama City.  The only time she spent elsewhere was a short stint working for Job Corps in New Jersey.

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A Mother and her Daughter

A Mother and her Daughter

A month after Hurricane Michael made landfall on October 10, 2018, The Sonder Project received a phone call from Tonya Hall, a residential nurse and Panama City resident.

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Hurricane Michael One Year Later – A Friendship is Born

Hurricane Michael One Year Later – A Friendship is Born

Charles and Tonya have been best friends ever since they met for the first time after Hurricane Michael.  Charles Roberts and Tonya Hall were neighbors for four years, both living on the same dead-end street. Prior to Hurricane Michael, they’d never spoken. Charles...

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Hurricane Michael One Year Later – The Golden Couple

Hurricane Michael One Year Later – The Golden Couple

After 72 years of marriage, the Harrells thought they’d been through it all. But it was the landfall of Hurricane Michael on October 10, 2018, when they thought they may have finally met their match. It wasn’t just the power of the storm itself, but the aftermath and...

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HURRICANE MICHAEL ONE-YEAR LATER

HURRICANE MICHAEL ONE-YEAR LATER

As the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Michael approaches, we’d like to take time to celebrate all that we’ve accomplished. We would also like to look ahead.

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Hurricane Dorian Response

Hurricane Dorian Response

 Dear Sonder Supporters, In the wake of Hurricane Dorian, our thoughts and prayers go out to the people impacted – especially those in the Bahamas and along the East Coast. The road to recovery is long and the need for help is great. As a result, supporters have...

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STORY FROM THE FIELD: Tish Ogden

STORY FROM THE FIELD: Tish Ogden

Four Walls and a Blue Roof The day after Hurricane Michael made landfall at Panama City, Tish Ogden and her boyfriend, Mike, returned to their home in Bayside, a low-lying community just north of the Hathaway Bridge.  As they drove through the battered neighborhoods,...

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Hurricane Michael: A Family Reclaims Its Memories

Hurricane Michael: A Family Reclaims Its Memories

Written by Christy Hughes When we met Celissia and her son Cameron, their lives had just collided with the unimaginable destruction that was Hurricane Michael. Nearly a Category 5 storm at landfall, it barreled its way into their home on October 10th and turned their...

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Nov. Summary as of 11/20/18

It has been too long since we’ve updated our website with a report, but it’s certainly not from a lack of action!  Since our last entry on October 31st, The Sonder Project has contributed… 17 Volunteer Days 147 Volunteers 1,171 Volunteer Hours 400 Meals Served 49...

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Thank you to 20/30 North Studios for capturing these stories from the Field: