Anna Maria Island community center giving out free supplies

Free supplies from community center

Mark Wilson reports

ANNA MARIA ISLAND, Fla. - As the Anna Maria Island community recovers, a local center is making a big difference, by distributing essential supplies free of charge.

"Out here we got donations, supplies, drop-offs, pick-ups," Christopher Culhane, executive director of The Center of Anna Maria Island said.

Volunteers have been working around the clock, offering vital resources for those reeling from Hurricane Milton.

"The entire community came together to coordinate and donate supplies here at the center," Culhane shared.

At the Center of Anna Maria Island, residents can pick up things like cleaning supplies, canned goods, clothes, and water.

READ: Water-logged residents haven’t seen relief despite plan to drain Lake Seward: ‘Get this water out of here’

"You know this is for everybody, anybody who needs it, here all the way down to Long Boat," said Jillian Ptak, The Center of Anna Maria Island. "We've had people from all over."

"Anything you need they have and if they don't have it they will put the word out and probably get it for you," Margaux Ridlehoover, a resident said.

The 65-year-old non-profit center has been a lifeline for the community.

READ: Clearwater residents nauseated by smell of debris in waterways: ‘Nobody seems to know who we can contact’

"The entire community has supported this drive and the entire community has used the donations that has come to the facility," Culhane explained.

Residents say the center has been a beacon of hope, providing not just supplies, but also a sense of unity in this time of need.

"You didn't have anything because you had to get rid of everything before the storm. After the storm you couldn't even get to the island," said Ridlehoover. "You could come here and get fed. You could come here and get all the cleaning supplies that you need."

The center is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: