This week, my Texas heart was deep in the heart of Florida. Florida is my second home. My son is there. My extended family is there.

My heart breaks to see all the devastation left by Hurricane Ian. Some there said it was the worst storm that they’d experienced. Hurricane Ian’s wrath is incomprehensible to those of us who watched it from afar. And even more unbelievable for those who suffered through it. And yet, I was lifted up by this story in the Orlando Sentinel. Ian “couldn’t sink New Smyrna Beach.” The heart of Florida is strong, but it has weighed heavily on me, on all of us, this week, and will for months to come.

But here’s how to help. Wherever you are in the country, if you are so inclined, we are grateful that you might extend your heart to others:

Organizations that are working in the heart of Florida right now:

American Red Cross – Red Cross disaster relief teams have been working around the clock with partners and local officials to provide emergency assistance to those in need. In the wake of such a devastating, widespread disaster, families and individuals impacted urgently need your support. Donate here.

Communities Foundation of Texas – Our local organization has posted a helpful list of organizations to support, that are working to lend aid to Florida at this time. Click here.

Florida Disaster Fund – This fund raised more than $20 million in 48 hours for The Florida Disaster Fund. That is a testament to the absolute generosity and compassion from people across Florida and in fact across the country.

Lastly, we want to say thank you to our clients, advocates and team for the patience and grace this week. You constantly remind us that we’re all in this together and we could not be more grateful.

Altruism is a core value at Front Porch Marketing, and being community connected is at the forefront of our decision making, both as a company and individually. Our team gives back to the communities in which we live and serve. Our team gives our resources — in time, knowledge, and dollars — because we believe to whom much is given, much will be required.

Where might you see us when we’re not on the Porch?

We spend time in our children’s schools volunteering. And they are broad and wide because we are all in different communities. Some of the schools we support are public. Some are private. But the goal is the same: paying it forward to the next generation. Right now, we are hosting two amazing high school interns for the summer as we do every year!

Some of us volunteer at our churches. Others serve non-profit organizations including the Faith Family Education Foundation, and the Grant Halliburton Foundation, among others. In addition to filling our tank, we serve a greater cause. And, organically, it benefits our business by building brand awareness, and boosting brand engagement. We are known as community helpers. We not only help the community ourselves, we help our clients align their businesses with a cause where they are passionate to make an impact.

Community connections are important.

In addition to schools, non-profits, churches and the other organizations our team members spend time with, there are networking organizations for which we are aligned. They help communities on a much larger scale and we are honored to be part of their missions. They connect us to community and beyond. We are grateful for the Fort Worth Chamber, GS10KSB, NAWBO and WBENC, just to name a few.

Is being community connected important to you and your business? Looking to make a difference in your area? Strategically need to align business with a cause? Want to talk to us about anything? Email us here.