MEDIA RELEASE
September 8, 2025
Contact: Angie Bonfardino, United Way Hernando CEO
Angie@UnitedWayHernando.org 352-688-2026
Erin Thomas, Hernando County Emergency Management Director
EThomas@HernandoCounty.us (352) 754-4083
STRONGER TOGETHER EVENT
HEALING & RESILIENCE AFTER HURRICANE HELENE
Spring Hill, FL (9/8/25) – As the first anniversary of Hurricane Helene’s September 2024 landfall quickly approaches, residents from the West side of Hernando County can’t help but reflect over this past year. With the Hernando Long-Term Recovery Group (LTRG) recognizing this one-year mark is a moment for our community to pause and heal together, a STRONGER TOGETHER gathering will focus on Mental Health, Wellbeing, and Resilience. This event will be hosted on Saturday, September 27, 2025 at the Weeki Wachee Area Club - home of Hurricane Helene’s Family Resource Center (FRC), where thousands of residents were able to gain access to supplies, basic necessities, food, resources, next step assistance, support, and hope, days following the devastation caused on September 26, 2024.
Join Us On: Saturday, September 27, 2025
Time: 11:00am - 3:00pm
Location: Weeki Wachee Area Club, 7442 Shoal Line Blvd, Spring Hill, FL 34607, Home of the Family Resource Center (FRC)
This gathering will honor the lives touched and forever changed by the storm—the homes we lost, the survivors, and the responders who stood strong in the face of crisis. An opportunity for unity and community. STRONGER TOGETHER is designed to:
- Provide mental health and wellbeing support, recognizing that recovery is an emotional journey as much as a physical one.
- Create a space for healing and connection, where neighbors can share their stories, remember together, and find comfort in community.
- Celebrate the strength and resilience that have carried Hernando County through recovery, reminding us of the power of unity and compassion.
- Promote future preparedness, equipping individuals and families with tools and resources to face tomorrow’s challenges with confidence.
- FREE food, raffle prizes, music, rock painting stations, onsite resources and response vendors, and a Resiliency Lab activity by Capacity Path will be provided.
Together, we honor the past while committing to a stronger, healthier, and more resilient future for all. Hernando’s LTRG asks to please share this STRONGER TOGETHER opportunity with all those impacted. A similar community event will be planned for the East side of Hernando County for those impacted by October 2024’s Hurricane Milton.
Event details can be found by visiting www.UnitedWayHernando.org/StrongerTogetherHelene. For more information or event collaboration opportunities, please email Hernando’s LTRG Chair at Angie@UnitedWayHernando.org. Still recovering from Hurricane Helene and/or Hurricane Milton? Connect with LTRG by calling or texting 352-340-2571 for intake and assessment.
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United Way of Hernando County, Inc.:
United Way of Hernando County (UWHC) was established as a 501c3 organization in 1987, and since then has continuously focused on creating partnerships and mobilizing our community to seek sustainable solutions to some of the most pressing local needs. UWHC strategically allocates Community Investment Funds in Health, Education, & Financial Stability programs with proven results and local impact. UWHC works hard to balance the growing demand for basic services such as food, utilities, and rent assistance, with our ongoing commitment to tackling the underlying causes of complex issues. United Way partners with businesses and organizations that share our vision for improving lives through the power of collective impact and working together. Our support for long-term commitments is essential to addressing key social issues, such as helping children, youth, adults & elders, encouraging health and wellness, including physical and emotional care, promoting financial stability and self-sufficiency, and crisis intervention. For more information on how YOU can LIVE UNITED, visit www.UnitedWayHernando.org.