Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) was there at the founding of IFHA and the organization is still supporting us to this day. Rev. Melana Scruggs, General Presbyter of the Peace River Presbytery and IFHA Board member, recently announced that the PDA had authorized a donation of $250,000 toward the construction of the first rental building!

After Hurricane Irma devastated the substandard rental trailers in Immokalee in 2017, the PDA provided funding to repair the trailers, only to find that the landlords used the modest improvements as a reason to hike the rates.  At the time, Pastor Miguel Estrada of Mision Peniel and current IFHA Board member, indicated that what was truly needed in Immokalee was hurricane resistant affordable housing.  Pastor Estrada, together with Rev. Graham Hart of Peace River Presbytery, Rev. Alan Coe of the Mayflower United Church of Christ, several representatives of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers ,and Dr. Buntzman, formed the IFHA as we now know it.  The PDA provided $50,000 to get the project started in 2018 and $250,000 to fund infrastructure in 2020, which was completed in June. Our heartfelt thanks!