HARLEM HEIGHTS, Fla — Christmas came a little early for the team at the Gladiolus Food Pantry in Harlem Heights.
Most of the organization's inventory - items ranging from diapers to non-perishable goods - was lost due to flood waters from Hurricane Ian.
What they were able to spare was set outside on tables for people to take.
FOX 4's Shari Armstrong spoke with the organization's CEO & Founder two days after the hurricane.
That is when Miriam Ortiz shared her concern - saying that the organization served more than 800 families prior to the storm and she knew that need would only increase.
Ortiz says the local and national community responded to their call for help.
Thousands of donations poured in, and the food pantry's continued to provide services to the Southwest Florida community.
An effort that did not go unnoticed.
The Scripps Howard Fund, the philanthropic arm of FOX 4’s parent company, E.W. Scripps Company, supports causes important to the company and the communities it serves, like those in Southwest Florida.
Following Hurricane Ian, Scripps organized a relief campaign across its 61 television stations nationwide. Viewers were asked to help the people and communities impacted by the storm with monetary donations and they responded. More than $250,000 has already been raised for recovery efforts in Southwest Florida and that number keeps climbing.
On Thursday, FOX 4 presented the organization with a surprise check for $10,000.
The food pantry was heavily impacted by Ian, and is currently under renovation.
The organization says the donation will go towards new shelving needed to store pantry items.
Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties accepts a $25,000 donation from the Scripps Howard Fund, the philanthropic arm of FOX 4's parent company, E.W. Scripps Company.
