April showers turned into April floods and, for many, a June gloom lingers. Broward House is still far from recovering after the once-in-a-century flood.

On less than a moment’s notice, the staff had to find emergency accommodations for dozens of clients. Now, more than six weeks later, they continue with the lingering damage.

Standing water from the flood is more than an inconvenience, it’s a health hazard.

“The cellulose in walls and flooring serves as a food source for black water contaminants,” Executive Director Stacy Hyde said. “Every porous surface in your home becomes a breeding ground for pathogens and fungus. The high humidity, warm temperature and stagnant air in a flooded house create an ideal environment for bacteria and mold growth inside walls and under floors. We had several days without AC and it continued to impact each area of our facilities.”

Once the water receded, the problem continued to grow.

“As we began to take down the walls the damage and concerns were evident. The water was throughout the entire building even those center locations not near the outside wall. Many of the electrical components were damaged. Our Assisted Living Facility was built in 1958 and as we opened the walls, we discovered more damage that had to be addressed.”

The financial impact is devastating from every angle. Despite having insurance, Broward House expects to incur about $825,000 in additional costs. This comes on top of a $67,000 increase in property insurance. Making things worse, the flood came the day before Dining Out For Life, their major fundraiser.

Despite new challenges popping up, Hyde says her team continues their mission.

“We move forward! It made things pause briefly as we adjusted and figured things out, but Broward House is Broward House no matter where we are. Our staff is committed to be 100% present for those who need us.”

Even while pressing on, Hyde says they need community support. 

“We need to raise funds. People can go directly to our website or through Our Fund to make a donation to our efforts.  We need people who believe in our mission and those we serve to share our fundraising campaign.  We have naming opportunities which includes adopting a room at the ALF. We would love to have the opportunity to speak with businesses who are interested in supporting our efforts or have an employee giving program.”