ORLANDO, Fla. — Hurricane season is here, and we have already crossed one named storm off the list.
Preparing for the season can be a financial burden for many, especially when the cost of everyday living is already so high.
“Having to purchase items if you don’t have savings already, such as extra food, batteries, or water, those things can sometimes cause a burden on a family when they’re trying to make ends meet already,” Latricia Holt, a Prosperity Planner through Goodwill, said.
She helps community members plan for their future and the unexpected. That means right now, teaching others how to budget for hurricane supplies on top of everyday needs.
“The best thing is to have a plan for your money,” Holt said. “Have a plan for how you’re going to spend it. Then just prepare yourself for the change of mindset. It doesn’t matter the income you make. Try to save $5 or $10.”
It’s lessons like starting to save in small increments that she shares at the Heart of West Lakes Wellness Center, which is operated by Lift Orlando.
The hub offers all free services beyond financial planning, including workforce development and job placement.
“The key word is preparation,” Mark Shamley, the VP of Community Impact for Lift Orlando, said. “Often, you think it’s not going to happen to me. Then it does, and you find yourself really struggling.”
He said it is so important to utilize these resources to avoid potentially life-changing impacts.
“I can’t stress the importance of planning,” Shamley said. “I can’t stress the importance of sitting down with someone like our prosperity planners with Goodwill and mapping out a strategy to say if something were to happen, this is how my household would respond.”
You can learn more about the Heart of West Lakes Wellness Center here.
More information on Lift Orlando can be found here.
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