Hurricane Ian Relief Fund
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All We Got, All We Need - Big Man Big Heart FSU Football Hurricane Ian Relief Fund
My name is Dillan Gibbons, and I'm the CEO and founder of Big Man Big Heart - a non-profit that encourages college athletes to use their NIL to give back to their communities. Jordan Travis, Malakai Menzer and I have teamed up to help those affected by the catastrophic damage that Hurricane Ian left in its path in our home state this week. We've stayed focused all week on preparing for the Wake Forest game this Saturday, but we were also keeping a close eye on Hurricane Ian as it approached the west coast of Florida. Most of the guys on the team had family and friends right in the middle of the cone of uncertainty. Now that Ian has made its mark on Southwest Florida, we feel so badly for those who suffered the devastation and are dealing with the aftermath of one of the worst hurricanes in American history. We know that college football fans here in Florida and across the country want to help, but don't know how. Please DONATE and SHARE this GoFundMe to help us raise as much money as possible to help those whose lives have been changed forever by this storm.
FSU Defensive Lineman, #93 Malakai Menzer was born and raised in Punta Gorda, FL and his home was right in the eye of Ian as it passed over Port Charlotte. By the grace of God, the Menzer family home was spared any catastrophic damage, but their friends and neighbors were not so lucky. Many lost their roofs, and some lost their entire homes. The roof was ripped off the local hospital by the force of Ian's unrelenting winds. So many people in the areas between Naples and Bradenton and across Central Florida lived through this nightmare. They are waking up to horrific damage that will impact their lives for many months while the clean-up efforts are undertaken.
I grew up going to North Captiva island and fishing the waters around Cayo Costa State Park. My favorite restaurant, Cabbage Key - home of the world-famous Cheeseburger in Paradise, is adjacent to Cayo Costa. Ian made its entry into Southwest Florida through North Captiva Island, and the eye passed right over Cayo Costa and Cabbage Key. My family is friends with the Wells family, who own Cabbage Key. Even though they have always been Gators, they are also Dillan Gibbons fans and are some of the kindest, warmest, and most genuine people in the world. Their restaurant is famous for the dollar bills hung up on the walls which the family has historically donated to help out after other terrible tragedies struck their community and our country as a whole. We can't even imagine how they must feel waking up to such devastation in their community.
Given the storm's size, it is likely that many football players on teams across the State of Florida have family members and friends who this storm has seriously impacted. Our team's motto, "All We Got, All We Need," seems to apply to this situation - as Floridians and college football communities, we are bound to each other by a deep-seated love for our State and our fellow Floridians. We are resilient, and we rely on each other to persevere. If every Florida State Football fan gave just $5, think of how much money we could raise to help those in need. If every college football fan at every college in the State of Florida gave just $5, we could help even more people. 100% of the funds raised will go to support those in need in the Southwest Florida communities most impacted by Ian. Malakai Menzer's mom, Phoebe, has kindly volunteered to be Big Man Big Heart's boots on the ground to identify the needs of the people in the Southwest Florida community and help us deliver this support to those who need it the most. If you are coming to the Wake game this weekend, feel free to stop by our tailgate on the Legacy Walk - tent #2 to make a donation. Unfortunately, we cannot accept food or other assistance due to logistics. Please help us build this fund with a DONATION if you can afford to do so, and SHARE this GoFundMe link with as many people as you possibly can to help garner support.
Organizer
Big Man Big Heart
Organizer
Tallahassee, FL