Camila had a steady job in Puerto Rico and was living as a single parent raising her children, Sofia, 8, and Gabriel, 13.

Everything changed on September 20th.

When Hurricane Maria tore through the island, Camila rode out the storm in her home. When the wind subsided and the rains stopped, she assessed the damage. Her house was uninhabitable. Her furniture and clothing were destroyed. She needed to start over and she needed to be somewhere with greater opportunities for success.

She reached out to her cousin in Tampa. He offered to do what he could to help, but couldn't provide her with a place to stay. She had enough money for a flight to Tampa and a few days' accommodations at a motel.

Fortunately, once in Tampa, Camila learned she could connect to help by calling 2-1-1. She had a long conversation with a resource specialist and was soon connected to Sharon in Care Coordination at the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.  

Sharon secured funding to help Camila stay a few extra days in the hotel and provided some gift cards for food. Camila's cousin also provided food and some transportation.

Sharon and Camila worked together to develop a plan to get Camila back on her feet. Sharon helped her connect to FEMA, which provided funding for temporary accommodations while Camila searched for an apartment. Camila contacted the school district so Sofia and Gabriel could get back to school as quickly as possible and found a solution for after-school care. Soon, Camila found a full-time job with a cleaning company and Sharon helped her apply for food assistance through ACCESS Florida.

In her final conversation, Sharon checked with Camila to see how she and her kids were doing
"I'm very grateful," Camila told Sharon. "You've done enough. I've got it and can take it from here."

The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is the community's gateway to help, hope, and healing. Because of you, families who are going through a crisis can experience a fresh start. Thank you for your support!