Recovery Assistance

Food Replacement and Distribution

Current Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients who lost food due to the severe weather that impacted North Florida can apply online for SNAP food assistance replacement through the Florida Department of Children and Families.

As our community continues to recover from the May 10 tornadoes, Second Harvest of the Big Bend will be hosting three neighborhood Mobile Market distributions the week of May 21.

• Tuesday, May 21, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Sabal Palm Neighborhood, 2802 Plant St.
• Wednesday, May 22, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Greater Love Church, 524 E. Orange Ave.
• Thursday, May 23, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lincoln Center, 438 W. Brevard St.

To view Second Harvest of the Big Bend's distribution calender for Leon County, click here.

For a complete list of Second Harvest of the Big Bend food pantries in Leon County, click here.

Vegetative Debris Collection and Drop Off

VEGETATIVE DEBRIS COLLECTION FOR UNINCORPORATED HOUSEHOLDS

Leon County is collecting curbside vegetative disaster debris for the unincorporated area of the county. Storm-related debris collection has begun, with a second pass expected to occur in late May or early June.

Collection will occur on both public and private roads in the unincorporated area.

As citizens begin their cleanup efforts, it is essential to remember the following tips:

• All debris for collection should be placed curbside between the sidewalk or property line and the curb.
• Keep vegetative debris loose and unbagged at the curb.
• Only vegetative disaster storm debris will be collected.
• Be careful and safe when moving large, bulky storm-related debris to the curb.
• Debris removal trucks will not pick up household garbage; Waste Pro will continue to collect trash, recycling, and smaller yard debris as usual on their normally scheduled days.
• Do not stack or lean debris against sprinkler heads, meters, poles, trees, backflows, and other structures.

For information on how best to organize debris and how to safely place materials at the curb, please review the included debris disposal guide.

Progress to Date

Collection Total as of May 20, 2024: 38,726 cubic yards

Truck Loads Converted: 387 dump trucks (100 cubic yards = 1 dump truck)

Hurricane Idalia (2023) Collection Total: 22,000 cubic yards

VEGETATIVE DEBRIS DROP OFF FOR ALL COUNTY RESIDENTS

To further support the needs of our community, Leon County will offer free-of-charge yard and debris drop-off for all Leon County citizens at both the Solid Waste Management Facility and all the Rural Waste Service Centers until further notice.

The Leon County Solid Waste Management Facility, located at 7550 Apalachee Parkway, is open to all County residents from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Leon County Rural Waste Service Centers is also open to all County residents on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the following locations:

• Woodville, 549 Henry Jones Road
• Fort Braden, 2485 East Joe Thomas Road
• Miccosukee, 13051 Miccosukee Road

For questions regarding debris collection in the unincorporated area of Leon County, citizens can call 850-606-1500 or submit a request online at LeonCountyFL.gov/ServiceRequest.

Private Property Tree Removal

Residents can reach out to the 2-1-1 Big Bend helpline for private property tree removal referrals.

Additionally, the following organizations can assist with free yard clean up, including cutting and clearing trees from private property:

• Samaritan's Purse at 833-747-1234
• Florida Baptist Disaster Relief and Recovery Ministries at 904-253-0502

Florida Commerce Business Damage Assessment Survey

FloridaCommerce and the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) activated the Business Damage Assessment Survey in response to the May Severe Weather event. Survey responses will allow the state to expedite recovery efforts by gathering data and assessing the needs of affected businesses. Businesses can complete the survey online by visiting FloridaDisaster.biz and selecting “May North Florida Tornadoes” from the dropdown menu. 

Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan

FloridaCommerce activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program, making $2 million available for businesses impacted by the recent severe weather that impacted North Florida. Florida small business owners in need of assistance are encouraged to visit www.FloridaJobs.org/EBL to apply for the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program. Businesses in Baker, Columbia, Escambia, Gadsden, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, and Wakulla counties, including sole proprietors, are eligible to apply. 

The program provides short-term, zero-interest loans to small businesses that experienced economic injury or physical damage due to May North Florida Tornadoes. Interested applicants can apply now through July 10, 2024, or until all available funds are expended.

Contractors Encouraged to Register for Florida Disaster Contractors Network

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation encourages Florida-licensed contractors interested in providing post-storm construction-related services to register with its Florida Disaster Contractors Network.

County Waives Permit Fees for Storm-Related Repairs

In response to the May 10 tornado outbreak, Leon County will waive growth management and building permit fees for storm-related repairs, along with permit fees for the removal of storm-damaged trees, to alleviate the financial burden for residents in unincorporated Leon County. Additionally, fees will be waived retroactively for projects already completed for residents in the unincorporated area upon request. Waived permit fees for storm-related repairs are projected to save unincorporated County residents hundreds of thousands of dollars.

For more information, residents can contact Leon County Development Support and Environmental Management at 850-606-1300 or visit the County’s website at LeonCountyFL.gov/DSEM.

To qualify for the waiver, the work must be performed by the homeowner or a licensed contractor. Leon County encourages residents to ensure that any contractor they hire is licensed by the State of Florida. This licensing process is crucial for protecting property owners from incompetent or dishonest contractors. To find a list of licensed contractors, visit the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s website at MyFloridaLicense.com/DBPR or call 850-487-1395.

Leon County Property Damage Assessment

Leon County Emergency Management is seeking assistance from the public to document damage within Tallahassee and Leon County resulting from the severe weather incident that occurred on Friday, May 10, 2024.

Click here to fill out the Leon County Property Damage Form.

Once a citizen has completed a Property Damage Assessment, Leon County adds that report to our initial damage assessment. Your reported damage helps us appeal to the federal government for disaster relief and assistance. Your reported damage can help tell the story that our community needs national assistance to recover and return to normal.

Also, after filling out the form, if you have unmet needs please contact 2-1-1 Big Bend by dialing 2-1-1 or calling 850-617-6333.

How A Disaster Gets Declared

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides procedural information regarding the emergency and major disaster declaration process. All emergency and major disaster declarations are made solely at the discretion of the President of the United States. To learn more about this process, visit FEMA's website.

U-Haul Storage

U-Haul is offering free storage to those impacted by the May 10 tornadoes. People seeking more information or needing to arrange storage services should contact their nearest participating facility:

• U-Haul Moving & Storage at Capital Circle Northwest, 5010 Tennessee St., Tallahassee, FL 32304. Contact: 850-576-2317.
• U-Haul Moving & Storage at Lake Ella, 1580 N. Monroe St., Tallahassee, FL 32303; Contact: 850-222-1389
• U-Haul Moving & Storage of Northeast Tallahassee, 2554 Capital Circle NE, Tallahassee, FL 32308; Contact: 850-422-0039

Stay Informed

• LeonReady.com – The Leon Ready website is a hub of resources to help you, your family and your neighborhood prepare for disasters. There are a variety of resources available, like the County’s Disaster Survival Guide, a full list of disaster supplies for your disaster bucket, and so much more, to increase your readiness.

• Download the Leon County Citizens Connect Mobile App - Completely redesigned, the Citizens Connect mobile app puts timely emergency notifications at your fingertips through push notifications on your smartphone or other device. Be the first to know about shelter locations, road closures and service changes by downloading the application from the Apple and Google Play stores.

• Visit the Leon County Emergency Information Portal - Hosting the same information as the Citizens Connect app, the Emergency Information Portal can be accessed on a desktop or a mobile browser by visiting LeonCountyFL.gov/ei.

• Listen to 88.9 WFSU-FM - Citizens can tune in to 88.9 FM for the most up-to-date information from local public safety officials. Featuring up-to-the-minute reporting, WFSU, Leon County and the City of Tallahassee remain committed to getting information out on the radio as soon as possible. 

• Additionally, iHeartRadio will also provide updates on the following stations: WFLA-FM 100.7, WFLF-FM 94.5, WTNT 94.9, KISS-FM 107.1, X-FM101.5, and The Beat-FM 105.3. 

• Call 2-1-1 Big Bend - If you need community information, services and support any day of the year, Big Bend 2-1-1 is reachable by dialing either 2-1-1 or 850-617-6333.

• Call 850-606-3700 with questions - Leon County Emergency Management staff is available to answer questions about how you should prepare, act and recover. 

• For updates on City of Tallahassee Utilities and other City services, visit Talgov.com.

Stay prepared by visiting LeonReady.com for disaster resilience resources and guides.