United is the wayto build a resilient community

When disaster strikes, United Way Space Coast staff and community volunteers step up to coordinate recovery efforts and raise funds for neighbors in need. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we can quickly mobilize our network of partner agencies and resources, so people know where to turn and how to get help after a natural disaster.

Be Prepared: Sign up for Brevard County Emergency Alerts

Need Help Now? Call 2-1-1 or 321.632.6688 for shelters, food, clean-up help and more.

Has your home been damaged or flooded? If your home has been damaged or flooded by the rain, please use the form to report impacted areas. It helps Brevard County Emergency Management assess community impacts and guide recovery efforts. This form is not an application for assistance.

Need help with clean-up? Brevard County’s Brevard Volunteer Connection Portal connects residents with free volunteer help removing mud and debris, damaged furniture and flooring, and wet drywall. One request per household; please include photos of the damaged areas. Help depends on volunteer availability and is not guaranteed.

Looking for clothing, home and hygiene supplies, or furniture? See our list of recommended thrift stores.

Download the “Need help? Start here.” flyer (PDF) to print or share

Ways United Way Supports Disaster Relief and Recovery

Disaster Relief Funds

In a disaster, financial support is the fastest way to help. As soon as an emergency begins, United Way rallies our corporate partners and individual donors to launch a disaster-specific relief fund, raising dollars that go straight to local relief efforts.

A dedicated emergency fund lets United Way quickly support emergency shelters and feeding operations, meals for first responders and volunteers in the field, and clean-up efforts and supplies, and it raises funding for long-term outreach to families facing major damage.

Immediate Response and Information Sharing

United Way’s Annual Campaign and emergency response funds support critical lifelines like the American Red Cross emergency relief program and the 2-1-1 information hotline.

2-1-1 is the region’s front door for help and information. Right after a disaster, 2-1-1 begins taking intake calls from affected residents, recording damage and flooding and reporting it in real time to local, regional and state emergency management agencies. At the same time, 2-1-1 connects people to shelters, food, flood clean-up and home repair assistance, transportation and more.

Red Cross shelters and crisis relief provide food and a safe haven in the immediate aftermath, and Red Cross mobile response vehicles bring support where it is needed most.

Volunteer Mobilization

After a disaster, people want to help. United Way connects them with meaningful ways to give their time. As part of the Brevard County Emergency Management network, United Way serves as Emergency Support Function 15 (ESF-15), managing volunteers and donations during and after emergencies.

During or right after an incident, United Way sets up donation and volunteer sign-ups to collect and organize offers of help. Once local distribution sites are confirmed, we send teams of volunteers to staff them in the affected areas.

Because we have built a network of volunteers ready to step in during an emergency, we can quickly share urgent needs, like clean-up help. Our nonprofit partner agencies can also request disaster relief volunteers to support their own efforts.

Volunteer Opportunities: Nov. 10–15

United Way Space Coast, in partnership with Brevard County Emergency Management and local municipalities, is serving as Emergency Support Function (ESF) 15 to mobilize volunteers and donations for flood recovery. Here’s where we need help this week.

Admin Support at the EOC
Work alongside UWSC and VOAD volunteers to answer calls from people seeking help and those offering to volunteer, and help coordinate the response. Training provided.

When: Tuesday–Sunday, 10am–1pm or 1–5pm
Where: Emergency Operations Center, 1751 Huntington Ln, Rockledge

Donation Sorting & Distribution
Help sort, organize, inventory and distribute donated items at Community of Hope.

When: Tuesday–Sunday, 10am–1pm or 1–5pm
Where: Community of Hope, 1975 Palm Bay Rd NE, Ste 106, Palm Bay

Extra hands needed Wednesday & Sunday, when residents affected by the flood can come in and get what they need.

Clean-Up Kit Distribution
Pick up clean-up kits and deliver them to residents in need. Must have a pickup truck or SUV.

When: Wednesday & Saturday, 10am
Where: Pickup location to be confirmed (EOC or Palm Bay)

Clean-Up Crews
Individuals and groups will be assigned to homes that have requested help: moving items to the curb, cleaning, disinfecting and light maintenance.

When: Wednesday, 10am–1pm
Saturday, 8:30am meet-up; clean-up 9am–12 or 1pm
Sunday, 8am–1pm

Experience preferred. Volunteers must be 18+, or youth 15+ with a supervising adult (1 adult per 3 teens).

How to sign up: One form does it all. All volunteers, individuals or groups, can use the volunteer sign-up form on this page to volunteer in the coming days for flood recovery.

1. Open the volunteer sign-up form on this page.
2. In that one form, register, choose your volunteer shift and sign the volunteer liability waiver.
3. Once you’ve signed up for a shift, we will send you an email with specific directions or instructions.
4. If none of the posted volunteer shifts work for you, or don’t apply to how you want to volunteer, the form will still submit your contact information and details on how you want to help, so we can follow up with you directly.

Form not loading? If the embedded Microsoft Form on this page is not working due to the Microsoft outage, please use this SignUpGenius link to select a volunteer shift.

Download the “Volunteer this week” flyer (PDF) to print or share

Clean-Up Volunteers

Brevard Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) is also a part of ESF-15 and coordinates recovery efforts between the various nonprofit and community groups who mobilize to help.

United Way coordinates individual volunteers interested in getting dirty with clean-up by pairing them with VOAD groups or trained team leads.

Flood Response: Whether part of a group or an individual, everyone interested in helping with Flood Response should register using the volunteer sign-up form on this page. VOAD will follow up with groups self-organizing clean-up efforts, and United Way will help coordinate individuals willing to help and join a clean-up team.

Questions? Email NovemberRainBrevard@gmail.com or call 321-637-3818.

What to wear:

• Required: long pants and sturdy work shoes. No tennis shoes or open sandals.
• Bring your own protective gear (helmet, safety glasses, gloves) if you like. Some will be provided.

Donation Drive: Supplies Needed Now

Disaster Relief Update: Thank You for Your Incredible Support

The outpouring of support from our community has been overwhelming. Thanks to the generosity of donors and the dedication of volunteers, we have received an abundance of many essential relief items and are incredibly grateful for every contribution.

At this time, we do not need additional cleaning buckets or trash bags, as our current supply is well-stocked.

Most Urgent Needs This Week

We are currently seeking donations of:

• Cleaning products
• Bleach and vinegar
• Disinfecting wipes
• Fans
• Household essentials
• New bedding (sheets, pillows, blankets)
• Kitchen supplies
• Toiletries and personal hygiene items
• Baby supplies
• Feminine hygiene products

We encourage community members to support established local organizations with food pantries and thrift store operations, as they have the infrastructure to sort, store, and distribute clothing and food items efficiently to families in need.

Thank you for helping our neighbors recover and rebuild. Your generosity is making a real difference in the lives of local families impacted by this disaster.

Our needs are changing daily as recovery efforts continue. Please check back regularly for the most current list of requested items.

Drop-off locations (during business hours)

United Way Space Coast:
1100 Rockledge Blvd., Suite 300, Rockledge, FL
321.631.2740

Community of Hope:
1975 Palm Bay Rd. NE, Suite 106, Palm Bay, FL
321.474.0966

Items donated will be distributed directly to our local flood-impacted neighborhoods.

• Host a drive: A business, church, civic group or workplace may want to host a food or supply drive. Use the volunteer form below to let us know what, where and when you are collecting, and if you need support to distribute. We encourage food drives to support existing pantries equipped to collect, store and distribute food.
• We also encourage citizens to use the Brevard November Rain Recovery Communications group and Mutual Aid Brevard group to post requests for help, offers of support and supply drives or distribution information. These platforms connect neighbor to neighbor directly, and can be a more efficient way to donate furniture and specific household items to those in need.
• If you are organizing a distribution effort and need volunteers, please fill out the form on this page to let us know what you are organizing, and we can help direct volunteers to support your effort.

Note: To sponsor or provide meals to impacted families, contact United Way to coordinate with Red Cross, County and City distribution plans.

Lend a hand. Rebuild together.

How to volunteer, donate supplies and give. Download the flyer (PDF) to print or share.

Fill the box. Feed our neighbors.

Food drive boxes for our partner pantries, with walk-in drop-off sites. Download the flyer (PDF) to print or share.

Long-Term Recovery

Recovery continues long after a disaster event. United Way leadership and staff serve on the Brevard Long Term Recovery Coalition (BLTRC), which oversees private donations and government funding for disaster recovery in the months, and even years, after a disaster. Case managers help process requests for funding to support home repairs and rebuilding, rent and utility assistance, replacing home furnishings and appliances, and storm mitigation.

NOVEMBER 2026 FLOOD UPDATE: BLTRC will soon announce a process to request direct assistance. Please check back.

United Way Space Coast serves as the fiscal agent, helping manage and account for the funds raised, grants awarded and projects funded by the coalition.

DONATE TO THE FLOOD RECOVERY FUND

Brevard County was one of the first communities to establish a long-term recovery coalition, during the 2004 hurricanes, and it has served as a model for other communities. Since then, the coalition has been activated as needed to provide ongoing support to residents across the Space Coast after a disaster strikes.

Working together, we mobilize the community to help our neighbors in need and build a more resilient Brevard.

Form not loading? If the embedded Microsoft Form below is not working due to the Microsoft outage, please use this SignUpGenius link to select a volunteer shift.