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I don't think any of us expected Ian to be as awful as it was. The damage it has caused impacted so many and has left businesses and homes completely destroyed. Many parts of Florida still have no power or running water. Curfews have also been set in place since the day of the storm to help everyone stay safe and make it harder for those with ill-intentions during disasters.

(NASA Earth Observatory images by Joshua Stevens) Before and after hurricane Ian power outages

Images above from Bill showing all his belongings that are no longer usable.

These pictures are a glimpse of the loss and destruction caused by Ian, but thankfully our HDD Broker Florida team is doing okay, and everyone is safe. As we mentioned before, Bill had the most damage to his house and is currently staying somewhere safe with his wife Gina. None of us are sure what it all means, how insurance will handle the losses during this time, and if Bill's house is even able to be rebuilt in that area again. It was a waiting game before the storm and sadly it continues to be for many.

Some of you have reached out to us to ask what you can do during this time, and because we are still waiting for answers, we decided to start a GoFundMe for our FL team, especially for Bill. In a time like this, costs tend to go up, groceries and products can be hard to come by and we want to be here to support our team in any way we can. If you want to contribute, even just by sharing, here's the GoFundMe link. However, there is no pressure, and any donation helps bring back some normalcy now that things may continue to change and linger in the unknown for the upcoming weeks and/or months.

Fort Myers Beach (Image by CNN via Twitter)

Sanibel Island Bridge collapse (Image by Joe Raedle via Getty Images)

Fort myers (Image by: loniarchitects via Instagram)

Naples Pier (Screenshot via Earthcam/Youtube)

It is a very hard time for SWFL communities, but hard times are also known to bring out some of the best in people. Many organizations have set up in neighboring areas distributing water, food, and clothes to those in need. Another great way to help would be donating to some of these organizations below or even getting involved in some of their volunteering opportunities:

• Better Together
• Charlotte Community Foundation
• City of Cape Coral
• Collier Community Foundation
• Community Cooperative
• F.I.S.H. of Sanibel-Captiva
• Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation
• Feeding South Florida
• Ian Response Fund

HDD Broker will continue to keep you in the loop as we receive updates! Thank you all for the kindness and support we have received in the last week. We really appreciate it and want to remind everyone that we are still here for all your HDD needs!