The Heart Within the Digital Age: Helping Surfside Victims Throughout South Florida

After the collapse of the South Tower Champlain condominium building, many were left without clothes, precious belongings, family members, and a place to call home. All that was certain to take from the collapse was a tragedy that will continue to haunt them. 

Now throughout South Florida, organizations and people are taking it upon themselves to help these families recover at least with their physical necessities.

While not many people are able to travel to Surfside to help physically, there continue to be many ways one can offer their support in the digital age. 

Religious organizations are also continuously accepting donations for those affected. 

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation has opened an emergency assistance fund for short term and long term needs of the Surfside victims. 

According to a statement on their website, “We have been working closely with our primary human service agency Jewish Community Services of South Florida (JCS), clergy, elected officials and law enforcement to assess needs and to develop a plan to help the victims of this evolving human tragedy,” President and CEO of the organization, Jacob Soloman said. “We anticipate significant demand for financial assistance, trauma counseling, spiritual care, housing assistance and support for funeral pre-arrangement plans and burials in the days and weeks to come.”

The organization is accepting checks through mail or by adding credit card information online.  

Legacy Closet Miami-Dade division coordinator Jacqueline Toledo-Moreno says that the organization is still actively collecting donations for those affected by the partial collapse. 

Debunking rumors that the organization was not accepting any more donations, Toledo said that while Legacy Closet is processing a lot of donations, they are still actively asking for them. With a donation and distribution center, the group is able to continue flowing items in and out to those in need. 

Instead of exclusively asking for clothing, the group is now also accepting gift cards. 

“We were approached not necessarily for clothing donation because they have received a very large amount but they are also wanting to get gift cards for the first responders and their families,” Toledo-Moreno said. 

Not only that, they are also filling UHaul trucks of donation for specific families as well. One truck is for a mother of three children who survived the collapse. The truck is on hold until the woman is able to relocate to a place where she can receive the clothing and food. 

Along with various organizations collecting funds, there are multiple GoFundMe fundraisers that are highlighted in a special verified section for the Surfside partial collapse. While some are for the entirety of the Surfside victims, there are fundraisers that are more specific. 

Being the first survivor rescued and making headlines when a video was released of his rescue, Jonah Handler has a long road to recovery to follow. Neil Handler, his father, set up the fundraiser as a way to pay for his 15-year-old son’s expenses including mental health services, medical expenses, replacing lost items, and covering his college education. Not only that but the funds would also go towards his mother’s funeral who tragically died in the collapse. Within a couple of days, the fundraiser continues to reach closer to its goal. With 907 donors as of right now, the family was able to get $80,027 of their $150,000 goal. 

Friends and family members pour out their stories of those lost and those who are yet to be found. 

Friends of Nicky Langesfeld and Luis Sadvonic created the fundraiser as they continue to brace for the news of their missing friends. Describing Nicky as having the “biggest heart” and Luis to be “down to earth,” the fundraiser said that it will be used to lessen the financial burden to both families who are not in the country. The fundraiser has reached $99,800 out of their $150,000 goal within the span of 6 days. 

Many of these organizations are facing an extreme amount of support and while it is a lot to handle, help continues on. Not only are people uniting for those in Surfside but organizations as well. 

“We’re kind of all working together with FEMA, Israeli Search and Rescue, also with the church,” Toledo-Moreno said. “We work directly with Chabad of Coral Springs, and they also have a sister church that moved with the Surfside members as well. It’s just that we have to wait for the flow for everything to fall into place but we’re there.” 

The American Red Cross is also onsite and accepting general donations online.

President Joe Biden traveled to the site on Thursday. As of right now, 18 people are confirmed dead and approximately 149 are still unaccounted for.