Power to the people: Putting the Last First

We are your neighbors. We stayed up through the night with you throughout Hurricane Hermine. For weeks afterward, we told your stories.

So when the Tallahassee Democrat reached out to encourage 100 businesses in the community to donate something nice for the last 100 households to have electricity restored following the storm, we expected to get a powerful response.

Now, Jesse Miley has the proof.

Miley, who went nine days without power following the Sept. 2 landfall of Hermine at his East Tallahassee home, received a 3,500-watt generator Thursday.

The neighbor’s pine tree came crashing toward Miley's front porch. The house escaped unscathed except for the electric wires ripped from the outside wall.

By the third day, another neighbor fired up a generator and Miley was able to sleep with a fan during the muggy summer nights.

He wished he could have helped others in need.

“I’ve wanted one for years and when this happened I would have loved to have been able to fire it up and give the power that I could to everybody,” Miley said as the generator, donated by First Commerce Credit Union, was delivered.

He said he admired the hard work of city and out-of-town crews to get the lights on for every customer. But the camaraderie he saw in his neighborhood – people handing out water, food and offering to clean debris – put things in a different perspective.

A list of businesses Putting the Last First

“Our whole neighborhood basically pulled together. It was nice, we actually met new neighbors that we had never met before,” he said. “Sometimes it takes a disaster to make people realize how great your neighbors and life can be.”

By the numbers

So how successful was the #1TLH outreach, which was launched in collaboration with BowStern Marketing: 

• The Tallahassee Democrat has delivered more than $10,000 in goods services and gift cards along with handwritten notes to about 150 people, who were without power for days.
• More than 150 businesses and individuals donated gift cards, checks, goods and services.  
• Donations included everything from a $500 gift card to an offer of babysitting, yard work, new furniture, food -- lots of food -- and hotel stays.
• The original call for donations was a viral sensation on Facebook. The post reached 100,671 people, had 626 shares, and 1,100 likes.  

Voices from the dark

"On behalf of my household I would like to thank the Tallahassee Democrat for the $100 Publix dollar gift card. It is heartwarming to have such a community institution look out for us." -- WeSley Eaton

"This was totally unexpected and deeply appreciated; your gift for our electricity being turned off for a week." -- D’Andre Richardson