Operation RIVER RUN Impact Report – Crisis Relief and Recovery

HURRICANE IDALIA

STEINHATCHEE, FLORIDA, AUG 30 - OCT 22, 2022

Operation RIVER RUN, using a eight-person leadership team over the span of two weeks, assessed over 125 homes, mobilized 133 volunteers who contributed over 1800 volunteer hours, and completed projects on 61 homes with an estimated value of $784,100. We then facilitated, trained and continue to advise long-term local partners to oversee the rebuilding process for this area, while bringing together national and regional resources.

Hurricane Idalia was a powerful Category 4 hurricane that caused significant damage across parts of the southeastern United States. Hitting the Florida Big Bend region as a Category 3 hurricane on August 30, 2023, Idalia continued to have hurricane-strength wind as it moved through Northern Florida and crossed into Southeast Georgia; it then pushed into the Carolinas as a tropical storm. Idalia made landfall in Keaton Beach, with winds of up to 125 mph. Water levels near Cedar Key reached a record 6.8 ft, and the storm surge water level was 8.9 feet. At least 278,000 customers lost power and as of September 4, insured losses were estimated at $3.5 billion USD. Idalia caused significant damage to thousands of homes, businesses, and other infrastructure along its inland path, primarily in Florida, where winds and the resulting floodwaters were highest. Idalia was the most powerful hurricane to hit Florida’s Big Bend region since the 1896 Cedar Keys hurricane.

POWER THROUGH PARTNERSHIP

One of our core values is “Power through Partnership”, which allows us to be a small part of a huge impact. The results reflected in this report include our efforts to assess and facilitate work in the community plus the contributions of countless volunteers who came as local individuals, and members of other organizations who answered the call including All Hands and Hearts and Adventures in Missions. The outpouring of support from neighbors and local businesses was tremendous and we couldn’t have done it without the help of: Anna King, Nina Johnson and Tom Muscher, Jeff and Beth Morrill, Danielle Norwood, Paul Nawlin and Ron Bloom, who is currently leading the effort of the community long term recovery group. The Steinhatchee Projects Board provided the Steinhatchee Community Center for our operations center for the first week of our mission, and Jeff and Beth Morrill provided their “Cabins on the Corner” for our team to stay. Last but definitely not least, the First Baptist Church of Steinhatchee housed and provided meals for volunteers and a home for shower trailers, as well as hosting our operations center for the second week. CRR is grateful for the partnership of others through this time frame, it is through their sacrifices that help us to create exponential impact for Steinhatchee.

STRATEGIC DISASTER RELIEF

Crisis Relief and Recovery then facilitates, coordinates, and gets those resources “into the fight.”

STRATEGIC RESOURCES

STRATEGIC PARTNERS

LOCAL VOLUNTEERS

GETTING THE JOB DONE - BY THE NUMBERS

CRR facilitates work by directly providing services and partnership with other organizations who use our damage assessments and work orders.
(values assigned by CrisisCleanup.org and based on closed work orders and volunteer hours.)