Minutes | GPIA Monthly Meeting | 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 18, 2024 | Pine Island Community Church

Call to Order

• Aaron Barreda, Co-Chair

Survivor Testimonial

• Robert Mann & Jodi Dahl shared their story of weathering the storm and dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. They expressed their gratitude to God, FEMA, GPIA, various church groups and volunteers, as well as family and friends and everyone who helped with their home and recovery.
• Erin mentioned how much Bobby and Jodi have done to give back to the community, including volunteering for more than 80 hours for Camp Noah. (You can listen to their story in our meeting recording.)

Treasurer’s Report — Aaron Barreda, Board Co-Chair

• Operating Account opening balance: $64,248.69
• Income/Revenue: $18,332.16
• Expenses: $13,317.57
• Operating Account closing balance: $69,263.28
• Expected:
  • New Grant: $50,000 from American Red Cross
  • Reciprocal/matching grant reimbursements: $63,572.75

GPIA State of the Union – Aaron Barreda | Erin Lollar-Lambert, Executive Director

Construction Updates

• We have completed six homes in the last month and are continuing to present and cases through the Lee County Unmet Needs Table that are getting funded.
• In April, we received funding to rebuild five households totaling $79,000
• In May, we received $36,000 in funds for an additional household.
• On June 20, we will present four new cases through the Lee County Unmet Needs Table.
• We encourage people to continue to go visit the “Get Help” tab on our website if they are in need of assistance and to encourage friends and neighbors who might still be struggling to apply for help.
• We recently had a case where one of our clients told us about a neighbor who needed help and we were able to make a connection. Now we are helping the homeowner with serious mold remediation and necessary home repairs.
• Appliance Program: Through Somebody Cares America, we have been able to help five of our client households obtain appliances (valued at more than $9,000)

GPIA Meeting Schedule

• As we continue through the recovery phase, we are planning to change to a quarterly meeting schedule. At those meetings, we will continue to provide updates and invite guest speakers.
• We will also provide updates via our Executive Director’s enewsletter. Please visit our website to sign up to receive these updates directly.

Guest Speakers/Other Topics

• United Policyholders: Annie Barbour, California Liaison, and Julitza Perez, Florida Liaison/Attorney
• International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC)

United Policyholders

United Policyholders (UP) is an independent nonprofit organization not affiliated with the insurance industry whose mission is to be a trustworthy and useful information resource and a respected voice for U.S. consumers of all types of insurance. They do not provide legal representation but can help with legal guidance. They also provide information on various topics, such as navigating your insurance policy, avoiding scams, FEMA appeals, choosing a contractor, etc. Tips they covered during the meeting:

• Always have a hard copy of your insurance policy, especially during hurricane season.
• Renters should always have renters’ insurance and should get as much as possible on “loss of use,” which will cover hotels and food.
• Keep five phone numbers written down in an envelope in your car, as not many people memorize phone numbers anymore and you may not be able to use your phone.
• Have a lock box outside your home with your key inside so that you can have someone check on your home without trying to figure out how to get them a key.
• Always keep your vehicle filled at least half full in case of lines/shortages.
• Take a video of the contents of your home, including items in drawers or boxes and the outside of the home as well.
• United Policyholders also offers a Disaster Recovery Handbook and Handheld Inventory Guide to help. They refer to it as the “yellow book.” Copies available at the GPIA office, where we also have other helpful handouts. You can also visit the United Policyholders’ website for additional information: https://uphelp.org/
• UP will hold office hours at the GPIA office to meet with residents who have insurance-related questions:
  • When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, 2024
  • Where: Greater Pine Island Alliance office, 10484 Stringfellow Road, Suite 2, St. James City, FL 33956
  • No appointment is necessary. You will be served on a first-come, first-served basis.

IOCC

IOCC has been providing islanders with emotional first aid in a partnership that will be continuing. We are happy to be continuing our partnership with IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities), who have. The group is supported by the American Red Cross and provides emotional care and support for disaster survivors and also trains others on supporting residents in disaster recovery. If you find yourself in need of support — even just someone to talk to about your recovery story, call 667.331.9815.

Public Comments/Questions

Meeting Adjourned

—Minutes respectfully submitted by Jeannine Harbinsky, Executive Assistant, GPIA