MJ Newell Homes & Standard Land Development Deliver Hurricane Ian Relief to Fort Myers
Originally published Tuesday, October 11, 2022, Caloosa Belle Independent. By C. M. Schmidlkofer.
Fort Myers residents impacted by Hurricane Ian received a helping hand from LaBelle developer MJ Newell Homes on Sunday, October 9, 2022. MJ Newell Homes coordinated efforts to distribute nonperishable necessities to the community at the Family Dollar Store in Fort Myers.
Pallets of water, food, and other essentials are unloaded at the Family Dollar Store in Fort Myers on Oct. 9 to distribute to those impacted by Hurricane Ian. Photo courtesy Standard Land Development.
Second distribution event in one week
The event was the second held there in the past week, providing dry goods, nonperishable food, children’s medication, water, juice, and more to those in need after Ian ripped through the area, demolishing buildings and homes, cutting off power, and causing the Caloosahatchee River to rise to devastating levels.
The distribution began at 11 a.m. and ended around 5 p.m. Standard Land Development, the parent company of MJ Newell Homes, led the logistics. Its sister companies Standard Land Development Landscaping and Standard Land Development Hauling transported truckloads of supplies and food to the location for distribution. Eric Henwood, director of Standard Land Development Hauling, arranged for transportation.
Volunteers and Standard Land Development employees helped load vehicles with donations. Photo courtesy Standard Land Development.
Michael J. Newell and volunteers at the Family Dollar relief distribution in Fort Myers. Photo courtesy Standard Land Development.
Community and leadership support
Miami-Dade County Councilman Christian Cevallos reprised his role collecting and delivering donations, and Hendry County Sheriff Steve Whidden was on hand helping as well.
Donations were set up to quickly fill car trunks, truck beds, and vehicle interiors with bags of food, water, clothing, and other necessities. About 100 volunteers helped with set-up and distribution, most of them Standard Land Development employees.
Vehicles lined up along SR 80, driving through with their trunks open so volunteers could quickly place donations into vehicles and keep the line moving.
Community members received water, food, and essentials at the Family Dollar location. Photo courtesy Standard Land Development.
Supplies and volunteers at the Hurricane Ian relief event. Photo courtesy Standard Land Development.
About MJ Newell Homes and Standard Land Development
MJ Newell Homes is part of the Standard Land Development family of companies founded by Michael J. Newell. MJ Newell Homes prides itself on carefully planned and designed residential housing in LaBelle and Lehigh Acres, considering income levels of potential homeowners before proposing a housing development so that price points stay within the economic range of those already living in the area.
When disaster strikes, the same commitment to community drives MJ Newell Homes and Standard Land Development to step up and support neighbors in need, as seen in the Hurricane Ian relief efforts in Fort Myers.
Source: Caloosa Belle Independent, October 11, 2022. Photos courtesy Standard Land Development.
