SOMETHINGS’ Post

Our Community in Crisis: Altadena and The Palisades My heart goes out to everyone affected by the devastating fires in Altadena and the Palisades. In these challenging times, it’s essential to stay vigilant against scams and price gouging. If you suspect unlawful activity, report it immediately. https://lnkd.in/gVqfRW6f. I’m here to help you navigate the aftermath of this tragedy. Whether you’re insured, underinsured, or uninsured, I can help guide in: • Understanding insurance claims and follow-up. • Connecting you with legal support to assess damages. • Establishing a personalized recovery plan. • Providing emotional support and mental health resources. If you’re in need of advice, short-term or long-term rental options, or assistance finding the right resources, please know I’m here for anyone and everyone in need. Together, we’ll rebuild and recover 🏡 💪 #AltadenaFires #PalisadesFires #CommunitySupport #RebuildTogether #HereToHelp #DisasterRecovery #FireRelief #StayStrongAltadena #PalisadesStrong

✨𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭✨ Disasters including home fires do not discriminate based on income level. However, low to moderate income individuals are impacted the most due to having limited resources and means. These are individuals and families, often seniors, who must decide whether to buy a new smoke alarm or put food on the table. Challenges for many of the vulnerable residents include living in lower-cost rental properties which may not always meet current safety codes requiring working smoke alarms. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, between 2018-2022, 35% of adults in Brown County rented their home or apartment. A higher proportion of renting can lead to less-stable living arrangements, less control over living spaces, and fewer working smoke alarms. Of the households we served following a disaster in FY23: 🔴 61% of our clients have annual household incomes below $30,000, including 25% below 10,000. 🔴 47% had permanent housing needs following disasters. 🔴 78% lacked hazard insurance, and 🔴 65% lacked structure insurance. The 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐧 services are provided at no cost to bridge the gap between current client resources and those required for full recovery.

Rising wildfires 🔥 are a growing concern in the US, hitting California hardest and raising insurance costs that can deeply impact low-income households. Single-parent families often bear the brunt of these added expenses. Amidst an ever-evolving landscape, how can we help? Local businesses can integrate support strategies for these families during natural disasters as part of their CSR programs. Donor agencies can provide emergency financing or insurance cost assistance.👩👦👦💰 Government officials must focus on better forest management and protective measures, while crafting policies to tackle rising insurance costs, ensuring vulnerable groups, like single parents, are fully covered.🏛👨👧👦 Community leaders can contribute to educating residents about fire risks and insurance issues, rallying support for residents in dangerous areas. And housing developers must deploy strategic and economical housing projects.🏘👷♀️ Let's reflect on our own organizations' charity goals and social responsibilities. Join us in building better futures for single parent households affected by wildfires. 💪🏡 Follow 👍, Like ❤️, and Comment 💬 to raise awareness. Reach out to us at 👉 https://lnkd.in/gvSp_HKx Together, we can build stronger communities.💪❤️🏘🔥👨👦👦👩

My thoughts are with all those affected by Hurricane Milton. We hope that you, your loved ones, and your communities are safe and sound. Florida Blue is speaking with our community partners in the hardest hit areas about how best we can provide support, and we will be in touch as soon as we have more information. For our members who made need to connect with a care team right now, #FloridaBlue members can receive virtual care from Teladoc: 1-800-TELADOC (835-2362). The cost is based on individual plan benefits and may be as little as $0*. myBlue Connected Care members and Sanitas Medical Center patients should continue using their mySanitas app for their virtual visits. For those who are not a member, Teladoc is offering virtual care at no cost, for communities affected by the storm. *$0 cost share does not apply to Health Savings Account (HSA) plans. HSA plans pay deductible + coinsurance. Please refer to your health policy for specific benefits for virtual visits. Please stay safe, take care, and check our website for helpful post-storm resources. https://lnkd.in/eg-4ZekH

It's hard to focus on anything but the shocking, sad, and sudden devastation in LA, a bitter reminder how life can change in an instant. I read on LinkedIn in the comments section yesterday someone putting down someone's comment about the tragedy of lost homes, businesses, and thousands of other structures, emphasizing that it's "only" "things." True, the loss of life now at 11 -- and every lost life is the ultimate tragedy -- has been low considering how little time so many had to evacuate as fires engulfed their neighborhoods but it is still the home where so many raised their children. The poor and disadvantaged, the middle class, and the rich have all lost homes and businesses. These fires impacted everyone but of course if someone had insurance that will help them to rebuild, or the savings to do it regardless, it will be a different kind of tragedy in practical terms than those without insurance or the resources to rebuild or even to cover the cost of temporary housing. Letting everyone in the LA area know that we all care about what they are going through and that the emotional toll of losing a house, business, or other structure, including family photographs and cherished keepsakes, even though it is not the same as the loss of life, is important. Yes, material things can be replaced and people can't. But it's supportive to let those know who have lost material things that others empathize what they are going through rather than minimize it by putting them down because "it's only things." Neighborhoods are gone and it's not just the buildings. It's also those friendships and community ties and shared experiences. For so many, their lives will now be divided into before and after the LA fires catastrophe. Contributing money to funds that are legitimate is one way to help those who lack insurance or funds of their own. Voicing support for what everyone is going through and the challenging ahead for so many is also pivotal to do which is why I am writing this new post. Finally, praise to the brave and selfless firefighters who risk their lives everyday to save lives and structures. The New York Post published an article recently that lists some of the legitimate organizations to donate to if you want to offer financial help: the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation will use the money to get the equipment that firefighters need; the California Community Foundation provides help to those displaced by the wildfires; Mutual Aid LA is a network coordinating where and how to donate supplies; the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is taking in food donations as well as volunteers at many locations. You can find the links to these and additional organizations in the article entitled, "How to help LA fire victims--where to send donations to those in need" by Alex Mitchell, or by doing a Google search on each named organization.

I have had several substantive conversations this week with individuals displaced by the LA Fires and took away the following insights: 1. One individual mentioned that she can't return to her property because, while it is still standing, there is an overwhelming amount of debris in the area. As we learned from 9/11, the health impact of this debris can be significant. She opened my eyes to the health and safety issues. 2. The magnitude of the disaster (2.5x Manhattan) is hard to fathom. Already, scammers are out there (looters, schysters), and there is competition for everything - builders, renters, insurance, mental health support, etc. However, there was optimism in my discussions, where doing good outweighed the bad. 3. We don't all know how to help each other. I just read an HBR article on this that might be helpful. Let's continue to support those in need, both in our workplaces and communities.

Here's a sobering new study by Rachel Young and Solomon Hsiang in the journal Nature about the long-term human health effects of hurricanes and cyclones. In a word, long after emergency assistance has been provided, communities struggle meeting their healthcare needs, in part due to funding that gets redirected to repairing damaged infrastructure. Funding for school lunches, pre-natal care, or even upgrading of an obstetrics unit at a local hospital can be cut, thus harming residents' health over the long-term. The elderly, children, and minorities are particularly vulnerable both before and after hurricanes strike. All levels of government and non-profit organizations can use this knowledge to budget for long-term healthcare expenses after a hurricane.

🔥 The Tragedy is Real ❗️🔥 Our governing bodies are a total joke ❗️ Countless people have lost everything—their homes 🏠, businesses 💼, and livelihoods. Entire neighborhoods reduced to ash, leaving families with nowhere to go and no insurance 🛡️ to rebuild. This is what happens when our state, local, and federal governments fail us. Instead of real action, disaster victims are left out in the cold ❄️ with minimal aid and empty promises. • 🏚️ Homes destroyed. Families displaced with no place to call home. • 💼 Businesses gone. Generations of hard work wiped out in moments. • ❌ No insurance. Homeowners left unprotected after companies canceled fire policies. • 🚨 No direction or support. Emergency services failed to guide and protect those in danger. • 🕒 Help came too late. Many are still waiting for aid to rebuild their lives. These are the heartbreaking realities of recent disasters—wildfires 🔥, hurricanes 🌀, and beyond. And yet, the response from leadership has been slow, ineffective, and often nonexistent. We must ask: • 🤔 Are we prepared for what’s next? • 🐑 Are we blindly trusting systems that don’t work? • 🌍 Is this a failure of leadership or part of a bigger agenda? The tragedy is real, and so is the need for accountability. 💬 Share your thoughts. 📚 Research the facts. 🧠 Let’s start the conversation and demand better. #🔥 #TheTragedyIsReal #LeadershipFailure #EmergencyPreparedness #NoInsurance #Accountability #WakeUp 🏚️🔥💔

Frankly Speaking: This is serious. It's time to help NC,FL, and GA, beyond the physical needs of food, water, and shelter. I have asked an extensive pharmacy network about accessibility to needed medications in NC. Although pharmacies may be open, getting refills to patients is a challenge in the rural areas of NC. Wait, most of the state is rural. Baxter, a leading supplier of medical supplies in NC, is out indefinitely. So are the workers. The supply chain nationally will have to compensate. I hope our leaders are paying attention to diabetic supplies. Hello, diabetic supplies. Advisors, think about your groups with high diabetic needs and get involved by asking questions about your region's supply chain needs. Others who are in the know, please share. https://lnkd.in/eJ8XCH5p Forget mail order. Repeat, forget mail in general. It ain't happening. Great companies are donating resources on site like Sam's. Communities are rallying. How about walking in or air drops by chopper. I'm not kidding. Take a look at the YT videos and you will be amazed. Some places the roads are gone. Gone. My church shared this link on how we can help those in NC. A private "airforce" of citizens with helicopters (35 as of yesterday) is being organized, not only the Nat. Guard, to assist with drops/evacs. If you want to "adopt" a community, Consider helping at GiveSendGo. Comment below if you have a favorite org. I don't do FB or Instagram so I can imagine how many others are posting. I want to help. Hope you can too. Cristy Gupton Mitigate Partners Joe Nelson Mark Lawther Russell H. Health Rounds Will Wright https://lnkd.in/eVVyUsGU