TAMPA, Fla. — The Seminole Tribe of Florida and Hard Rock International are donating $1 million to support the relief efforts after Hurricanes Helene and Milton devastated the Tampa Bay area.
The funds will support both World Central Kitchen and the American Red Cross, "to aid in immediate recovery and long-term rebuilding for communities devastated by catastrophic storms from Florida to the Carolinas and Tennessee," the Hard Rock said in a new release.
“The Seminole Tribe of Florida has always been committed to helping our neighbors in times of crisis,” Marcellus Osceola Jr., chairman of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, said. "With the help of our dedicated teams across Florida, we are able to make a meaningful impact for those in need after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.”
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa has also opened its doors as a state-designated shelter at its event center. The center has reportedly provided safety and refuge for more than 1,000 displaced people.
“Opening our doors to displaced families in Tampa and providing financial support is just the beginning of our ongoing commitment to the recovery efforts,” Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International and CEO of Seminole Gaming, said. “We are very grateful for the incredible work our partners at World Central Kitchen and American Red Cross do across the globe.”
World Central Kitchen has established a mobile kitchen at the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Event Center and prepared more than 700 meals for people at the shelter. The Seminole Hard Rock Tampa team has also prepared and delivered more than 1,000 meals at shelter sites in Tampa.
