Public Service

On June 13, Legal Aid of Manasota to host Disaster Preparedness Expo in Newtown

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Hours are 10 a.m. to noon at Newtown Community Estates

This is a scene from the 2025 Expo. Contributed photo

On Saturday, June 13, the Sarasota COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster), in partnership with Legal Aid of Manasota and Sarasota County Government, will host its annual Disaster Preparedness Expo at Newtown Community Estates, the Sarasota COAD has announced.

The hours will be 10 a.m. to noon, a news release says.

Newtown Community Estates is located at 2800 Newtown Blvd. in  Sarasota.

“The event will focus on helping residents prepare for the 2026 hurricane season,” the release adds. It will “feature more than 25 community partners,” plus free giveaways, free food and free child care.

Attendees will be able to learn the following, the release points out:

  • “How to prepare an emergency kit.
  • “What to do after a storm hits.
  • “How to file insurance claims.
  • “Their rights as renters or homeowners.
  • “How and where to seek shelter.”
  • How to navigate FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] and emergency response organizations’ mechanisms for delivering assistance.

“Sarasota and Manatee residents are on the front lines when disaster strikes, and they deserve real information and necessary resources so that they may properly prepare for a storm,” said Linda Harradine, CEO of Legal Aid of Manasota, in the release.

In addition to Legal Aid of Manasota, Sarasota COAD and Sarasota County Government, the participating organizations will be the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida, Caring Collective, Catholic Charities, Florida Department of Health, Habitat for Humanity Sarasota, Multicultural Health Institute, UnidosNOW, Newtown Community Redevelopment Agency, Rebuilding Together Greater Florida, BayFirst Bank, Sarasota County Mosquito Management, NET Newtown, American Red Cross, Volunteer Sarasota County, Salvation Army of Sarasota County, Sarasota County Emergency Management, Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections, Newtown Business Council, SRQCERT, Streets of Paradise, United Way of South Sarasota County and All Faiths Food Bank.