Habitat for Humanity boosts storm protection in North Fort Myers

Writer: Paul Dolan
Published: Updated:

The Atlantic hurricane season is less than 100 days away, and now is the time to start preparing your home for potential storms.

Habitat for Humanity and Storm Smart are stepping up to help homeowners brace for the 2025 hurricane season.

Last year’s hurricane season was particularly harsh on Southwest Florida, making preparation crucial.

Karen McElroy, vice president of retail for Habitat for Humanity in Manatee County, described the impact of the last season as “kind of the icing on the cake.”

Brandon Eiland from Habitat for Humanity explained the logistics: “They’re loading the windows onto our box trucks, and they’re actually going to go into the Habitat Restores in three different counties, including right here in Lee County.”

Crews are busy lifting 300 hurricane-impact windows and doors into trucks, using forklifts, and carefully transporting them one stack at a time.

Starting Thursday, these windows and doors will be available at the Habitat for Humanity Restore in North Fort Myers.

Eiland said, “All the windows into the store by the end of the day today; by tomorrow, these windows will be priced and ready to be sold to the general public.”

Scot Burris, CEO of Storm Smart, emphasized the importance of these donations, saying, “We want to make sure the entire home is protected so the residents here and their families survive and walk out alive and thrive after a hurricane hits.”

In Lee County, these impact windows and doors will be available only at the North Fort Myers store on Willis Road.

They will be sold for a fraction of their regular price, and all proceeds will support the Habitat for Humanity mission.

This initiative not only helps individuals prepare for storms but also helps the community ride out the next storm together.

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