SARASOTA, Fla. — An app that aims to change disaster preparedness and recovery puts free resources in one space to help bridge the gap between homeowners and help. 

Local Relief Founder and Executive Director Heather Hackett says she hopes the tool connects communities to everything they need in crisis.

“There are so many resources and organizations that help but finding them is a nightmare,” said Hackett.

What You Need To Know

  • Local Relief app provides free local, state and federal resources to help prepare for and recover from disasters

  • The app was recently launched officially but motivation first came after Hurricanes Irma and Ian

  • The entrepreneur saw a need to better connect communities to vital resources

Not anymore, says Hackett, who calls her app an ultimate hub of resources for help before, during and after a natural disaster.

“How do I prepare my home, my dog, my kids? To what are the resources near me, what are the free organizations providing assistance? What are the ways I can apply for FEMA? Who’s going to come and help me?’ At the same time, you want the hyperlocal, which is the social media platform,” explained Hackett.

The app was recently launched officially but motivation for it first came from Hackett’s volunteer work with cleanup efforts after Hurricanes Irma and Ian. 

“Once you see the expression on like every face you see, you can’t unsee it,” said Hackett.

What the Lakewood Ranch resident wanted to see was a way to make recovery easier.

“Anything I thought that people may want to know, I put in a big document and database and just started categorizing it and organizing it and trying to put structure to it,” said Hackett.
 
The entrepreneur has experience in event management and wanted to change the way communities could connect and manage preparation and relief efforts.

“It was and will all be, neighbors helping neighbors,” stressed Hackett.

So she started a nonprofit to provide those neighbors with support.

“If you look at immediate needs, it really combines everything together,” said Hackett as she scrolled through the app. It combines: a resource directory, a way to connect and share with local groups, pre-storm preparation and post-storm recovery tips, a nonprofit directory, information about donations (giving and receiving) and a social media component.

“One place to go, you can saturate yourself with it and make sure that there is that community for you, where it truly is just the disaster community and that’s it,” said Hackett. “We try to make it as easy as possible, we know that when people are going to log in here, they’re going to be really stressed.”

Hackett hopes the tool serves as a lifeline and gives homeowners some relief.

“Whether it just happened to you or whether it happened to you a year ago, we want to have information that’s going to help you today.”
 
Hackett was recognized as Humanitarian of the Year by the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation in 2024.