Yesterday, Gov. Rick Scott announced additional funding for red tide in areas of the state impacted by the naturally-occurring algae. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will receive $765,000 to help with the organization’s response. This money will help support the response of more scientists and will fund additional field and laboratory equipment. FWC and its network of public and private partners actively work to monitor the status of red tide and other threats to Florida’s wildlife and respond accordingly. In early October, the FWC unveiled a new, interactive red tide map on MyFWC.com. Featuring information from daily samplings to monitor the location and levels of red tide throughout Florida’s coastal waters, the new map allows viewers to zoom in to see exactly what the latest red tide samplings found.

Gov. Scott also announced that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has committed $1.3 million in grant funding for communities along Florida’s Atlantic Coast to help mitigate the impact of red tide. The new funding includes:

• More than $522,000 for Indian River County
• $500,000 for Palm Beach County
• $100,000 for St. Lucie County
• $100,000 for Miami-Dade County
• Almost $75,000 for Brevard County

DEP launched a grant program in July in response to naturally-occurring red tide this year. The program is intended to help communities who have been negatively impacted by the algae, and it identified $12.4 million on top of other funding that had been previously dedicated to red tide response. As of October 31, 2018, DEP has provided:

• Nearly $2.2 million has been dedicated to test new technologies that could help mitigate the effects of red tide
• $1.2 million was announced for FWC’s redfish hatchery
• $100,000 was committed to Mote Marine Laboratory’s response to red tide
• $500,000 to VISIT FLORIDA for the creation of emergency grants to assist local tourism development boards in impacted counties
• $3.5 million for Pinellas County
• $750,000 for Manatee County
• More than $265,000 for Collier County
• Nearly $1.5 million for Sarasota County
• More than $330,000 for Charlotte County
• $500,000 for Palm Beach County
• $100,000 for St. Lucie County
• Nearly $75,000 for Brevard County
• $522,000 for Indian River County
• $100,000 for Miami-Dade County
• $3 million for Lee County

For a complete list of resources as well as the latest information regarding the state’s response, please visit FRLA.org/algae.

[Tallahassee, Fla] In the week since Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida Panhandle, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) and its members have actively worked to provide for first responders, volunteers, evacuees and survivors of the record-setting storm. FRLA staff began organizing meals for first responders in Leon County before the storm hit, anticipating the needs of law enforcement, firefighters and other emergency personnel would be significant in the capital city. Once Hurricane Michael cleared Northwest Florida, member restaurants and hotels escalated their efforts. Within the span of one week, gave away more than 17,000 meals, provided emergency lodging to evacuees, survivors and first responders as well as donated critical items like bedding for shelters and supplies in the hardest-hit areas. This sort of response – quick and selfless – is a hallmark of Florida hospitality says the trade association’s CEO.

“One of the best qualities of those in the hospitality industry is their commitment to service and community, and this effort is a prime example of that,” said Carol Dover, CEO/President of FRLA. “Our members and staff truly have a heart and passion for service, and their generosity is being spread across the Panhandle in a variety of ways. Their actions are a wonderful testament to the power and spirit of hospitality.”

Members in Impacted Area Provide Relief to Others

The outpouring of resources has come from members representing every segment of the FRLA.. Even members in Bay County, one of the most devastated areas in Hurricane Michael’s path, stepped up, including Texas Roadhouse – Panama City Beach. Paul Schreiner, Partner for the Panama City Beach location, suffered minimal damage from Hurricane Michael and realized there was a critical need in some of Northwest Florida’s rural counties. Schreiner connected with FRLA to see how he could best assist, noting he had the ability to feed around 2,000 people. After coordinating with emergency operations centers in the Panhandle, FRLA directed Schreiner to Blountstown, located 40 miles inland and devastated by eyewall winds. Schreiner drove self-contained trucks to Blountstown along with Texas Roadhouse Pensacola’s Jeremy Behrens and Texas Roadhouse Tulsa Oklahoma’s Glen Haydel. The crew set up grills, tents and cooking stations as a line of hungry people formed in the parking lot of the small town’s Piggly Wiggly grocery store. In the span of approximately three hours, the Texas Roadhouse partners served 1,700 meals to survivors and first responders.

“I was fortunate to have sustained little damage at my place, and I have an amazing staff who want to help,” said Schreiner. “These folks here were hit really hard, and they have no power. Their homes are destroyed. If I can come in and give them a good, hot meal and some water, I’m going to do it. And [Texas Roadhouse] corporate could not be better. They keep asking, ‘What else do you need?’ We’re all in this together.”

Lodging Members Offer Resources in Addition to Rooms

FRLA lodging members have also stepped up to provide relief efforts to first responders, evacuees and survivors alike. Wyndham hotels donated 350 pillows, towels, sheets and blankets to one of the shelters in Panama City and also provided lodging to 13 Bay County law enforcement families who could not return to damaged/destroyed homes. Candlewood Suites in Tallahassee comped rooms for evacuees and housed nurses who traveled with their patients to Tallahassee after their Panama City hospital was damaged by the Category 4 hurricane.

In addition to coordinating meals and helping connect resources with needs, the FRLA staff has also focused on helping members recover by communicating critical information like re-entry requirements for evacuation zones, state and federal loan programs, business disaster recovery centers and reemployment assistance. As the trade association for the state’s largest industry, FRLA is invested in expediting disaster relief to get member businesses back up and running after storms and other catastrophes. FRLA has staff members working in the State Emergency Operations Center in conjunction with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

[Tallahassee, Fla] As Florida’s capital city braced for Hurricane Michael, the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA) and its members worked to organize relief for the first responders who will spend the next several days ensuring the Tallahassee community is safe. Understanding food would be a need in the days immediately after the storm for the hundreds of law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical services teams as well as the staff of the local Emergency Operations Center, FRLA staff began work on Monday to help meet that need. Regional Director Nick Lowe placed calls to local restaurants, asking who might have the ability and capacity to help. Eight restaurants stepped up to prepare 3,200 meals on Thursday and Friday.

“One of the best qualities of those in the hospitality industry is their commitment to service, and this effort is a prime example of that,” said Carol Dover, CEO/President of FRLA. “Hurricane Michael was an incredibly powerful storm that caused significant damage across Florida’s Panhandle, and the first days after such an event require long hours and hard work from the men and women who keep our communities safe. Providing them with good meals was the least we could do to say thank you.”

Bella Bella, Chick-Fil-A, Chicken Salad Chick, Dreamland Barbeque, Jacob’s on the Plaza, Krispy Kreme, Wahoo Seafood Grill and Wille Jewell’s Barbeque prepared and packaged hundreds of meals for the first responders – all while continuing to serve large crowds of residents who were looking for a good meal and air conditioning. FRLA staff and members worked together to coordinate pick-up and delivery of the meals throughout Leon County.

Members even worked to provide food for employees of a Wal-Mart on the north side of Tallahassee, who wanted to open the store to provide help to locals needing post-storm supplies.

As the trade association for the state’s largest industry, FRLA is invested in expediting disaster relief in order to get member businesses back up and running after storms and other catastrophes. In addition to providing food for first responders, FRLA also has staff members working in the State Emergency Operations Center in conjunction with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. These staff members help coordinate food and lodging needs for public and private entities across the impacted area. The organization has also spearheaded fundraising events like this one.

[Tallahassee, Fla] The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association has issued the following statement from Carol Dover, CEO/President, regarding Hurricane Michael:

“As Floridians brace for Hurricane Michael, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association has begun work to help members, residents and visitors alike prepare for the storm and its aftermath. Members of FRLA staff have taken our ESF-18 seat at the state Emergency Operations Center where we will work with the Florida Retail Association and the Department of Economic Opportunity to help coordinate lodging and food needs for emergency responders and evacuees.

“We have encouraged members to prioritize safety in a variety of ways beyond basic storm preparation. FRLA has encouraged members to waive cancellation fees as the storm approaches. Our primary goal is always the safety of visitors, and we want to keep them out of harm’s way. Additionally, we have urged all members to extend hospitality to pets by relaxing any pet restrictions they may have. Many people are reluctant to leave their feathered and furred friends behind, and some will refuse to leave unless they can bring their pets with them. We hope that relaxed restrictions and pet-friendly accommodations will help motivate those in the path of the storm to heed evacuation warnings. To assist after the storm, FRLA has asked our members to register with FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program, which provides short-term lodging assistance to evacuees who cannot return home immediately following a disaster.

“FRLA will continue to monitor the storm and stands ready to assist members, residents and visitors however we can before, during and after Hurricane Michael. Members should visit FRLA’s hurricane resource page for information regarding what to do before, during and after the storm.”

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has opened multiple business recovery locations throughout the state to assist with disaster relief in the wake of the red tide emergency. SBA staff can provide information, answer questions about the SBA economic injury disaster loans and help business owners complete applications for the loans.

These SBA loans, available to small business owners in counties impacted by red tide, can provide up to $2 million for working capital needs caused by the red tide disaster. As of October 2, 2018, these counties include:

• Charlotte
• Collier
• DeSoto
• Glades
• Hardee
• Hendry
• Hillsborough
• Lee
• Manatee
• Pasco
• Pinellas
• Polk
• Sarasota

Eligibility for these low-interest loans is based upon the size and type of business as well as its financial resources. Money from the SBA loans can be used for payroll, accounts payable, fixed debts and other bills that could have been paid had the red tide disaster not occurred. They cannot be used to replace lost sales or profits.

Find an SBA business recovery loan location near you:

Lee County

City/County Annex Building

1825 Hendry St.

Ft. Myers, FL 33901

M-F 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Manatee County

Manatee County Library, Island Branch

5701 Marina Rd

Holmes Beach, FL 34217

M-F 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Pasco County

Smartstart Program Manager

West Pasco Entrepreneur Center

4532 US Highway 19

New Port Richey, FL 35652

M-F 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Pinellas County

Epicenter

13805 58th Street North

Suite 2-200

Clearwater, FL 33760

M-F 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sarasota County

Bay Ridge Park

4430 South Lockwood Rd

Sarasota, FL 34231

M, W, F 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Business owners can apply for the SBA loans here or can download an application here. For more information, please call 1-800-659-2955 (or 1-800-877-8339 for the dead and hard-of-hearing) or email [email protected].

The filing deadline to return applications for economic injury is June 4, 2019.

[Tallahassee, Fla] Representatives from the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA) announced the launch of an online training course on human trafficking specifically designed to help hoteliers, restaurateurs and their staff. Created in conjunction with subject matter experts, the FRLA course objectives include teaching participants to recognize the signs of human trafficking, understand best practices to protect victims and promote anti-trafficking awareness. Available in both English and Spanish, the course is free for all who take it.

“FRLA believes we have a moral obligation to do all we can to prevent this atrocious crime, and offering this course at no charge is one way we can help fight human trafficking,” said Carol Dover, CEO and President of the association. “We are committed to educating our members and others within the hospitality industry about the dangers of human trafficking, and this course underscores that commitment.”

Florida is the third-highest trafficking destination in the United States, and there were 604 cases of trafficking reported last year in the Sunshine State according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Geoff Luebkemann, Vice President of Education and Training at FRLA, says that those in the hospitality industry must understand that no one is immune.

“Most people think trafficking is sex trafficking that occurs in seedy motels in a bad part of town, but the facts are contrary to popular belief,” Luebkemann said. “The reality is that trafficking is also forced labor, which happens in broad daylight and can be found at diverse venues ranging from agricultural operations to golf resorts and upscale restaurants. Sex trafficking happens at properties across the price, service and luxury spectrum.”

Available online at StopHumanTraffickingFL.com, the course features research and resources from Polaris, the U.S. Department of Labor, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as well as the International Labor Organization. To help learners fully engage with the subject matter, the course is divided into two parts and includes interactive elements. Each section of the course contains information relevant to hotels and restaurants, underscoring Luebkemann’s position that trafficking can occur anywhere. Currently, the course is available in both English and Spanish.

The launch of the free online course is the latest in a series of moves FRLA has made to engage and educate the hospitality community on the realities of human trafficking. The association has been actively involved in the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking for two years, and FRLA hosted a panel discussion on human trafficking at the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show on Sept. 8. Moderated by Luebkemann, the panel included Laura MacFarland of Places of Hope, Tomas Lares of Florida Abolitionist, Robin Thompson of STAC, Maurice Edwards of the Seminole County Sheriffs Office and Shelly Weir of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. These experts offered first-hand accounts of trafficking issues they have faced and discussed strategies for fighting trafficking at all levels including legislation.

Those interested in taking FRLA’s course on human trafficking can find it at StopHumanTraffickingFL.com or through the FRLA’s training website, SafeStaff.org. To learn more about human trafficking and why it matters to the hospitality industry, check out this article in the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Magazine. Find resources regarding human trafficking on FRLA’s trafficking page.

[Tallahassee, Fla] Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will provide an additional $3 million to counties impacted by red tide off the Gulf Coast. This brings the total grant funding for southwest Florida counties to $9 million. $3 million is designated for counties impacted by the blue-green algae, and $6 million is designated for counties impacted by red tide.

With newly-designated funds included, DEP has allotted the following grant funding:

• More than $190,000 for Collier County
• A total of $3.17 million for Lee County
• $750,000 for Manatee County
• $700,000 for Martin County
• $1.1 million for Sarasota County

For the latest information regarding red tide, please visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s red tide tracking page. You can also call 866-300-9399 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and listen to a recording about the latest red tide conditions.