On Sept. 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian pounded greater Pine Island with nearly 150mph winds for more than 12 hours. By the time Ian — one of the strongest storms to ever hit Florida — finally moved on, the Island’s communities were devastated. Five islanders had lost their lives, 90 percent of the buildings — including homes and businesses — were damaged, with 20 percent of them classified by county officials as having “major damage” and 3 percent as “destroyed.”

The Island was also cut off from the mainland when road leading to the Little Pine Island bridge was washed away. Cut off, and with no on-Island government or other coordinating entity to address the community’s immediate needs, Islanders and Island-based nonprofits sprang into action as neighbors helped neighbors in the immediate aftermath of the storm.

Over the days and weeks that followed the Hurricane’s devastation, Island-based and visiting nonprofits continued working to help Islanders recover, but one thing became clear: The Island needed a central clearinghouse of information and activity to help coordinate recovery efforts of numerous organizations — both local and those from outside the community.

By October, Islanders Aaron Barreda and Jay Sanderson began developing the Greater Pine Island Alliance to work within the community to:

In December 2022, the Greater Pine Island Alliance was incorporated as a nonprofit 501©3 organization with the mission to provide leadership and coordinated management of the long-term recovery efforts for Greater Pine Island and to provide long-term assistance to individuals and businesses affected by the disaster who do not have adequate personal resources to meet their basic needs. Organizational goals include: