It takes a special kind of person to take action in urgent situations. There is a lot of compassion involved in taking steps to do what is right as an individual, and, it is even more special to see a group of people band together through their compassion to do something good for their community. The Laureate Park “Help Mob” was born from the need for community action in the wake of Hurricane Irma. Using the power of communication from neighbor to neighbor, as well as the strength of social media, members of the Help Mob wasted no time in joining together to help the community prepare for the upcoming hurricane as well as take action in the aftermath of the event.

The group, coordinated by Mike Nuñez, who has organized group events for members of the Nonahood in the past, came together out of pure necessity to help their neighbors prepare for Irma’s arrival and take care of the community they love so dearly. Prior to the hurricane, the Help Mob worked to assist neighbors lift heavy lawn furniture and secure it before Irma’s intense winds reached the Nonahood. They worked diligently going from home to home to take care of any needs of homeowners who might not have been able to make all of the preparations themselves.

Even after Irma had made its way through Central Florida, and as soon as it was safe, the group went out to assist in the cleanup efforts. Members of the Help Mob relied not only on social media to reach those in need but also on technology like drones to pinpoint areas of the community and share footage of the aftermath and cleanup with the homeowners. This footage was captured and uploaded, allowing community members to monitor the progress of the cleanup and keep tabs on which areas of the neighborhood still needed assistance from the Help Mob.

The group helped to move fallen tree branches, roof shingles that had blown off, or other debris around the neighborhood. The cleanup effort has been instrumental in helping the lives of neighbors return to normal after Hurricane Irma.

This group of compassionate, dedicated and community-oriented people has made it obvious they are ready to take action for the betterment of the community. We are so grateful for the Help Mob and all that they have done to take care of the residents in the Nonahood and Laureate Park.