Officialmedia hub
Facts, contacts, and resources for journalists covering disaster response, hurricane preparedness, and the growing civilian responder movement in Florida.
For immediate media contact
Boilerplate
The HelpNow Project is a veteran-led 501(c)(3) disaster response organization based in Tampa Bay, Florida. Founded in 2015, HelpNow deploys trained teams and a mobile command center for hurricane relief, search and rescue, and community preparedness training across the state. HelpNow is an operational partner in the Grown Responders network (grownresponders.org), which connects trained civilian responders, veterans, and community teams building response capacity before disasters strike.
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Organization at a glance
Key facts for fact-checking and on-air readouts.
- Legal name
- Florida Response Team Charities, Inc.
- Public name
- HelpNow Project
- Founded
- 2015, Tampa Bay, Florida
- Tax status
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit · Federal ID 33-1728012
- Service area
- Florida statewide
- Headquarters
- Lutz, Florida (PO BOX 509, Lutz, FL 33548)
- Primary website
- helpnowproject.org
- Responder network
- grownresponders.org
Grown Responders in this effort
Disaster response is not only a government function. Across Florida and the United States, trained civilian teams are stepping up before storms hit and staying on the ground after official resources are stretched thin.
Grown Responders (grownresponders.org) is the network connecting those teams: veterans, CERT members, ham radio operators, medical instructors, and neighborhood volunteers building real response capacity. HelpNow Project is an operational player in that network, with field teams, training programs, and deployable assets ready for Florida hurricane season and year-round community needs.
You don’t know me, but we have your back.
HelpNow field teams train year-round and deploy when communities need boots on the ground.
What we bring to the field
Capabilities reporters can reference when covering storms, deployments, or preparedness events.
Forward-deployed disaster response
Trained field teams, search and rescue coordinators, and a mobile command center staged for hurricane and storm response across Florida.
Community preparedness training
No-cost CPR/AED certification, hurricane preparedness workshops, and active violence emergency response training for neighborhoods, employers, and civic groups.
Veteran-led command structure
Operations follow Incident Command System practices used by professional emergency services. Discipline, coordination, and accountability in the field.
Communications and situational awareness
Field radio plans, live monitoring tools, weather integration, and public field reporting to keep communities informed during deployments.
Media contacts
Reach the right person for interviews, b-roll coordination, and deployment updates.
Jason Esterline
Director of Communications
Media inquiries, interviews, and deployment updates
Mike Hills
Founder and Executive Director
Organizational background, partnerships, and mission
Press desk routing
Email info@helpnowproject.org with "Media / Press" in the subject line, or call (800) 948-8313. For fastest routing, include your outlet, deadline, and whether you need an on-camera interview, phone quote, or field access.
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Logos and documents for print, web, and partner listings.
Explore the site
Deep links for background research and live operational tools.