Natural Disaster- How we can help you recover!

On September 28, 2022, Fort Myers, Florida was devastated by a category 4 hurricane. Our town and beaches were wiped away along with the homes and businesses that lived there; Many people lost everything… The loss of power from the storm was expected, but the loss of cell service was a shock, as it cut the town off from the rest of the world. For days people were lost in disarray and disbelief. Walking down the street in your neighborhood felt like a scene from a horror or war movie. The trees were stripped bare, and the power lines lay crumpled on the ground. Roofs were torn off houses, pools were wrecked and cages were destroyed. Street signs were uprooted, business signs were ripped apart, and traffic lights dangled uselessly from their wires. This dark depression sat over our community for a couple of weeks and it seemed like the town that was once a bright, lively, and fun city where families came to vacation and escape their world, was gone forever… But as they say, time heals all wounds. Two weeks after the hurricane the leaves started to grow back, power and cell lines were restored, and people came together to help rebuild their community. 

Unfortunately, the storm surge caused by the hurricane flooded many homes and businesses, making them unsafe to live in or operate a business. As the city regained power businesses were able to resume offering their products and services to the community, but almost every sign in Fort Myers had been blown away or ripped down. The only way people knew if a business was open was to physically go and see if the front doors were unlocked. It has now been several weeks since the storm devastated SW Florida and various businesses are just now re-opening their doors or will be in the coming weeks. Rebuilding your business can be costly, especially, when a natural disaster happens that you were not financially prepared for. Businesses lose on sales opportunities if the community doesn’t know they’re open, but it’s hard to show you’re open when your signs are gone and your budget is tight. That is why Anything Display is extending help businesses affected by natural disasters.

Owning a business is tough and can sometimes be overwhelming; add in a natural disaster and it becomes nearly impossible. When a major disaster strikes, it's difficult for members of the community to know where they can go for what and when. After a natural disaster, people want to come together and spend their money locally to help rebuild the economy. But when mother nature causes huge destruction in your area, it's hard for people in your community to know which businesses are still open. It is a broad assumption that everyone is closed. Waving a big bright “NOW OPEN” sign in the front of your business is sure to be an eye-stopper and catch people's attention, especially in a season of gray. When a community overcomes devastation, it is easy for people to lose hope during the process and to feel sad. Imagine the excitement and happiness you would feel driving down the street after your city was just demolished, homes were destroyed and people just lost everything… to see a huge flag showing your favorite store or restaurant open! It puts a small piece of comfort back into people's spirits and could potentially motivate them. Once someone sees that a business still has its doors open after such a tragedy, it could spark their motivation to get their business back open and bring them hope.

Natural disasters affect communities as a whole and as the quote reads “There is strength in numbers, yes, but even more so in collective goodwill. For those endeavors are supported by mighty forces unseen.” We believe in the strength of community and helping your community. Small businesses are what make communities unique, unfortunately, it's those small mom-and-pop shops that do not recover well after devastation due to limited resources. We are proud to offer a program to help these businesses and offset at least one cost in their journey to re-opening. If your business was affected by a natural disaster and you cannot afford new signage we want to help! We want to hear your story and know how you were affected, your process of rebuilding and how you could benefit from a new “Now Open” flag. Email us your story for a chance to win! Send your story to [email protected]