Save the Children Working to Help Florida Kids and Families Recover, Regain Stability in Wake of Destructive Hurricane Isaias

National Leader in Child-Focused Disaster Response Helping Ensure Families Receive Critical Cash Assistance and Emergency Supplies, Supporting Child Care Recovery  

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Oct. 12, 2026) As communities in the Florida Panhandle grapple with the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Isaias, Save the Children is continuing to meet the urgent and long-term needs of children and families whose lives have been upended by the devastating storm. Prior to landfall, the global humanitarian organization provided anticipatory cash assistance to help families with disabilities prepare for the storm, and is now turning its attention to deliver additional cash assistance and emergency supplies, while supporting childcare recovery. 

Isaias has left families facing widespread power outages, blocked roads, interrupted critical services, safety hazards from fallen trees, and impacted childcare centers, schools and playgrounds. As families face the uncertainty of recovery, Save the Children is collaborating with emergency, education and faith-based partners to: 

• Provide flexible cash assistance to help caregivers cover urgent expenses, including food, water, gas and temporary lodging.
• Deliver critical child-focused supplies, such as diapers and wipes, to children and families who need them most.
• Help childcare and early learning centers recover by working with childcare partners and affected providers to understand damage, address barriers to reopening and restoring essential services for children and hardworking families.

"Helping families with disabilities prepare for Hurricane Isaias before the storm—providing cash assistance for critical essentials like medications, accessible transportation and temporary lodging — was a powerful reminder of how timely support can make a life-changing difference in a moment of uncertainty. Through our collaboration with Special Olympics and other disability-focused partners, we’ve already heard from families moved to tears by what this assistance meant to them at such a critical time,” said James Orlando, managing director of U.S. emergencies for Save the Children. “But days after the storm, our teams on the ground are still seeing the impacts, and the full extent of recovery needs is only beginning to emerge. Many families remain without power, under boil-water notices and uncertain about what comes next. Save the Children remains committed to standing alongside these families, their children and the educators who support them — providing urgent relief now and helping communities recover and rebuild in the weeks and months ahead.” 

To speed up and strengthen childcare supports after hurricanes and emergencies, Save the Children established the Gulf Coast Resilience Network in 2021 – a partnership of childcare networks in five hurricane prone states, including Florida. The global humanitarian organization supports the network through childcare emergency preparedness training, mental health supports for children and caregivers, and rapid assistance to help childcare centers recover and reopen after a disaster.  

Save the Children has been helping America’s children recover from major disasters for over 20 years, including Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, as well as the devastating wildfires in Washington state and flooding in Hawaii earlier this year.

By contributing to the Children's Emergency Fund, you help Save the Children protect kids across the U.S. when disasters like Hurricane Isaias threaten families. To learn more about Save the Children, please go to www.SavetheChildren.org.