ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Many communities are slowly recovering from hurricanes Helene and Milton as Sunday is the deadline for small businesses looking to apply for a hurricane recovery grant.
Jungle Prada is tucked away in St. Pete.
“The name of the people that lived here we call them Tocobaga,” David Anderson, Sacred Lands president said.
It is a jungle filled with Native American history.
“We have what I believe to be the largest American Indian mound in Florida that is privately stewarded,” Anderson said. This sacred land is home for his family.
“This has been in my family since 1940 and I'm the third generation,” Anderson said.
Anderson said this preservation hosts dozens of events and he provides tours as well.
“Everywhere that the Tocobaga built up using seashells, the mound and the village plaza stayed dry during Hurricane but everywhere they didn't build up flooded terribly during Hurricane Helene,” Anderson said.
More than five feet of storm surge hit the preserve following Helene.
“I remember walking in and seeing the water like not knowing what to say about water that high,” Anderson said.
Artifacts are now on higher ground after the storm gutted the museum and ripped up the deck. Trees were also uprooted after Hurricane Milton.
Sacred Lands is open, but help is needed, and many businesses in St. Pete can relate.
“There are ample support resources state, federal to help those businesses get back operated,” St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch said. “We applied for several, but I'm not sure which grants we'll be able to receive and which ones we won’t.”
One is a small business hurricane recovery grant with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. If selected it would mean a $5,000 grant to bring back more programs. The deadline to apply is November 17th at midnight.
“We're trying to replace a lot, but it has been a struggle financially,” Anderson said.
Many events had to be postponed at sacred lands while they worked to fully reopen.
Click here if you want to donate. If you would like to volunteer with the cleanup process Sacred Lands asks that you call before coming. You can reach them at (727)430-2677.
