TOOLBANK DISASTER SERVICES + CATHOLIC CHARITIES
Panama City, FL (April 26, 2022) – Catholic Charities began borrowing tools from ToolBank Disaster Services in early 2019 after Hurricane Michael. Tools were borrowed to begin rebuilding homes after the storm. The initial value of the tools borrowed by Catholic Charities was $53,625. Over the next few months, that number quickly doubled to $111,700. Damaged homes were repaired by groups of 10-20 volunteers. The road to rebuilding the impacted communities would take years.
Finally, on March 4, 2022, Catholic Charities returned all of their tools to the Panama City ToolBank warehouse. Not a single tool was missing and the organization wasn’t charged for the tools they borrowed. Tools borrowed included: chainsaws, cordless drills, demolition sledgehammers, fubars, brooms, axes, air compressors, extension cords, small hand tools, and safety equipment. ToolBank Disaster Services loans tools to community-based organizations at NO COST during natural disaster response efforts.
Over the past 3 years, Catholic Charities was able to repair over 500 homes across the Florida Panhandle. This repair and rebuilding efforts impacted approximately 2,000 individuals. Catholic Charities is just one organization that borrowed tools after Hurricane Michael. ToolBank Disaster Services in Panama City provided tools at no charge to over 30 nonprofits in response to this storm.
Hurricane Michael was a very powerful and destructive Category 5 tropical cyclone. Michael made landfall in the Florida Panhandle on October 10, 2018. Mexico Beach, a small sport fishing coastal town with fewer than 1,200 permanent residents experienced a direct hit. The cities of Mexico Beach and Panama City suffered the worst of Michael, with catastrophic damage reported due to the extreme winds and storm surge. Numerous homes were flattened and trees were knocked over in a widespread area along the Florida coast. At least 74 deaths were attributed to the storm.
Damage: $25.5 billion (2018 USD)
Highest Sustained Winds: 160 mph