In September 2022, Hurricane Ian tore across Florida as a powerful Category 4 storm, bringing destructive winds of up to 140 mph, catastrophic storm surge, and widespread flooding. Communities across southwestern Florida experienced severe damage to homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods, leaving many families displaced and facing a long road to recovery. In response, World Renew Disaster Response Services (DRS) mobilized volunteers and worked alongside local partners to support clean-up, rebuilding, and long-term recovery efforts.

Two years later, recovery is still ongoing. While significant progress has been made, many individuals and families continue to navigate the lasting impacts of Hurricane Ian. The stories below highlight both the deep challenges survivors have faced and the hope being restored through faithful volunteers and community partnerships as rebuilding continues.

Prayer Reinvigorates a Weary Faith

Evelyn, a World Renew DRS volunteer, was interviewing Cheryl*, a Hurricane Ian survivor, during an unmet needs assessment, a holistic assessment of a community’s unmet needs to prepare for hurricane recovery.

Cheryl shared with Evelyn that her home was damaged by Hurricane Ian, but more importantly, she lost her sister, her dog, and her business in the storm. As Evelyn guided Cheryl through the assessment process, she became very aware of the grief and loss Cheryl was experiencing. As they finished assessing Cheryl’s needs, Evelyn asked if she would like to pray with her. Cheryl explained that she had not only lost her family members and her job to Hurricane Ian, but she had lost her faith as well.

Despite her doubt, Cheryl prayed with Evelyn, and God gave Evelyn His words of comfort and hope for Cheryl. A few days later, Evelyn was meeting with another client at the walk-in center when to her surprise, Cheryl walked through the door! Cheryl excitedly shared with Evelyn that she was finding her faith again, and she was thankful that God used Evelyn to encourage her through the trials of Hurricane Ian.

A Repaired Forever Home

Elena* always longed for a home of her own. She accomplished her dream in September 2022. It was a milestone that always felt out of reach to her, despite holding an advanced degree and attending Bible college. Unfortunately, Hurricane Ian struck just weeks after her family completed remodeling the old-fashioned home.

Hurricane Ian swept across Elena’s town with 140mph winds, ripping off her home’s roof, siding, and carport. Rain poured down for hours and ruined most of the furniture that the family had just moved into her new home. Thankfully, FEMA provided temporary housing for Elena and her fiancé during the rebuilding process. Yet, without much knowledge about reconstruction, the couple found repairing the damaged house overwhelming.

Praise God that, along with our recovery partners at the Sarasota Long Term Recovery Group (LTRG), World Renew DRS volunteers were able to install new insulation, replace the ceiling, and repair the damaged walls. They also added a new closet and laundry area that Elena requested.

“If God’s family didn’t come through in this difficult time, I would have lost my first home,” Elena said. “Thank you to the volunteers who helped me through this hurricane journey.”

Top-Notch Volunteer Work

Hurricane Ian hit Kevin’s* neighborhood with 22 inches of rain, causing problems that complicated their recovery. The standing water in Kevin’s home caused mold, ruining the drywall and rotting the floor.

“Thankfully, I received assistance from FEMA,” Kevin said, “but I didn’t receive enough money to repair my home.”

When the Sarasota LTRG assigned DRS volunteers to repair Kevin’s home, they replaced the damaged drywall, installed new floors, and painted the interior of Kevin’s home.

He is truly grateful for what he considers “top notch” volunteer work. “I thank God every day for the kind, caring people who helped make my home complete again,” Kevin said.

Serving on Spring Break

In one home in Fort Myers, Florida, the damage caused by Hurricane Ian went mostly unaddressed for 18 months. The homeowners had packed their belongings in boxes that they piled in the dining room and the kitchen was gutted. The owners were making do with temporary arrangements for water and cooking.

But by God’s grace, a group of students from Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, traveled to Fort Myers during their spring break in 2024 as the first volunteer team to work on the couple’s home.

The student volunteers removed the water-damaged flooring. They repaired some of the floor joists, put in a vapor barrier, installed insulation, and laid new subfloor. They also installed new drywall in bedrooms, hallways, and the living room.

The homeowners appreciated the students’ labor and offered them fresh fruit and pastries, provided extra tools, and built relationships throughout the week. The students and the couple found new hope as they worked together to begin a journey of learning and recovery from Hurricane Ian.

Help Finding a Homeowner

Hurricane Ian was only the beginning of Janina’s* challenges. As the storm hit, she and her husband braced their windows and repeatedly swept floodwater from their home until a rescue crew evacuated them by boat.

When they returned, their house was severely damaged. A fraudulent public adjuster left them with a gutted, unusable home. In poor health, Janina managed as best she could—washing dishes in a bathroom sink, sleeping on an air mattress, grieving her husband’s death, and battling leukemia—for 18 months.

Relief finally came when World Renew DRS volunteers stepped in. They restored her home with new insulation, drywall, flooring, cabinetry, and repaired electrical systems.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, Janina shared that she didn’t have to search for help—World Renew’s local partner found her.

By the Numbers

In the first two years of World Renew DRS’ response to Hurricane Ian, your gifts and prayers have made a lasting impact. Here are a few ways support like yours is bringing hope:

• 🌳 30+ families served through debris removal, tarping roofs, and spiritual care
• 📋 670 survivors supported through unmet needs assessments
• 🛠️ 30+ homes repaired across Florida by 14 volunteer teams
• 💜 $597,087 USD ($835,921 CAD) raised to support ongoing recovery

World Renew DRS continues to work with local partners to meet ongoing needs in Florida. With 50 homeowners still awaiting repairs, additional reconstruction seasons are planned to help more families rebuild their homes and lives.

You Can Make a Difference.

Around the world, communities face similar challenges after disasters—making ongoing, long-term recovery support more important than ever.

Your generous donation today—no matter where you are in the world—means we can help families find hope and rebuild their homes and communities. Thank you for responding to the ongoing needs of people living in communities devastated by these storms. Help rebuild now.

When you volunteer with World Renew, you have the chance to deepen your faith, stretch your thinking, and live out your sense of justice in meaningful ways. Volunteer with DRS and make a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by disasters in North America. Volunteer with us.

*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of those we serve.