Charles Garavaglia, a lifelong Miami resident and former Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) employee, recently joined other FPL volunteers and retirees to distribute hurricane meal kits for seniors at the Allapattah Community Center. The event was held in partnership with the Florida Council on Aging and United HomeCare.
Garavaglia spent 38 years at FPL, starting as a summer intern in engineering and retiring from information technology in October 2022. He continues to support his community through volunteer work, reflecting the company’s focus on local involvement. “At FPL, we always emphasized getting involved and giving back to the community,” Garavaglia said. “As a lifelong Miami resident, this was an opportunity to do just that.”
He also commented on the personal value of staying connected: “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 hurricane meal kit distribution targeted seniors living in Allapattah, many of whom may face mobility issues or lack sufficient support systems during storms. Adrian Rosario, one of the recipients, stated: “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.”
Each distributed kit included three days’ worth of shelf-stable meals and water along with storm preparedness information. This initiative is part of FPL’s wider hurricane preparedness program across Florida designed to reach vulnerable groups before severe weather events.
Garavaglia said about his view on community: “I think community is what you make of it. If you want to participate and get interested in what’s going on, you can do that, and if you want to keep to yourself, you keep to yourself.”
Beyond his time at FPL, Garavaglia serves as a certified ombudsman for the state of Florida advocating for elderly residents in assisted living facilities.
These efforts are part of FPL’s broader approach as it marks 100 years serving Miami customers by providing not only electricity but also ongoing community support initiatives.
Residents can find additional hurricane preparation resources at FPL.com/storm.
