Charles Garavaglia, a longtime Miami resident and former Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) employee, recently joined other FPL volunteers and retirees to distribute hurricane meal kits to seniors at the Allapattah Community Center. The effort was carried out in partnership with the Florida Council on Aging and United HomeCare, aiming to deliver essential supplies directly to seniors ahead of hurricane season.
“At FPL, we always emphasized getting involved and giving back to the community,” said Garavaglia. “As a lifelong Miami resident, this was an opportunity to do just that.”
The initiative is part of FPL’s ongoing commitment to the Miami area, where it has provided service for 100 years. Garavaglia began his career at FPL as a summer intern in engineering and worked there for 38 years before retiring from information technology in October 2022. He continues to stay connected with former colleagues through the NextEra Energy Miami-Dade County Retiree Chapter.
“I think it’s just a good thing to do. It’s the right thing to do to help,” Garavaglia said. “You can’t just dismiss all those relationships, and I’ve always been a big fan of FPL. It’s a way of staying connected with a company that I really enjoyed working for.”
The meal kit distribution targeted seniors living in Allapattah who may face challenges such as fixed incomes or limited mobility, making storm preparation more difficult.
“The help that FPL gives us is essential and really appreciated. I hope they continue to do it because it’s something that is desperately needed, especially for the seniors in our community,” said Adrian Rosario, one of the recipients.
Each kit contained three days’ worth of shelf-stable meals and water along with storm preparedness information. This event is part of FPL’s broader hurricane preparedness program designed in partnership with organizations like the Florida Council on Aging to support vulnerable populations across Florida.
Garavaglia also serves as a certified ombudsman with the state of Florida, advocating for elderly residents in assisted living facilities.
For both current employees and retirees like Garavaglia, these events highlight enduring ties within the FPL community and reflect company values beyond retirement.
FPL’s hurricane readiness efforts include partnerships statewide aimed at helping seniors and other vulnerable groups prepare before severe weather occurs. More resources on storm preparation can be found at FPL.com/storm.
