Mission Moment: Delivering a Lifeline to Coast Guard Members After Hurricanes Helene and Milton

In September and October 2024, Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck the Tampa Bay area just 13 days apart, bringing record storm surge, widespread flooding, and severe wind damage. Coast Guard members, who live in the communities they serve, were among those hardest hit.

In response, the Coast Guard Foundation issued over $643,000 in emergency grants to 282 Coast Guard members directly affected by these storms. Throughout 2024, more than $1.3 million in disaster relief supported 610 Coast Guard members and their families across the country recovering from hurricanes, wildfires, and floods.

Coast Guard Foundation leadership visited impacted units and members once the storms subsided so we could better understand their needs, learn how we can strengthen our support, and share their powerful stories of resilience with the Coast Guard Foundation community.

“Pretty much everything was ruined.”
“Catastrophic home damage including flooding, leaking windows, and roof damage.”
“At that moment, really all we owned was in the SUV that we evacuated in.”

The video shares the stories of Coast Guard members affected by these hurricanes and highlights how support from the Coast Guard Foundation helped them begin to rebuild.

We are deeply grateful to the Chief Petty Officers Association, our partner in delivering emergency relief, and to our generous community of supporters who stepped up to help Coast Guard families in need.

“The Coast Guard Foundation is here because we want to be there for Coast Guard members wherever and whenever they need support,” shared Ron LaBrec, chief marketing and communications officer.