ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A nonprofit that normally helps families in need during the holidays is working double time. Not only are they helping people with Christmas gifts, they’re also offering assistance to those who suffered from storm damage during the back-to-back hurricanes.

Having a Christmas tree, let alone giving gifts this year to their children, was something Amneris and Tyrune Martin didn’t think would be possible.

“We were just thinking like when we’re good we’re gonna make it up to them. But that’s one of the first things they asked. ‘Hey do you got a Christmas tree? The kids got gifts?’ I was like no but…and they were like ‘we got you,’” Amneris said.

“We got you” are the three words they’ve heard over and over for the last three months from the nonprofit St. Vincent de Paul CARES. They credit those three words for helping them find a place to stay after Hurricane Helene.

“They took away the stress of being homeless because we at a moment didn’t know where we were gonna go and do. Having kids and pets — going to a shelter just didn’t seem like something that would be for us,” said Tyrune.

Floodwaters from the storm destroyed their St. Pete home.

With two children, dogs and several rabbits, they didn’t have a lot of options.

“SVPC — they worked their magic and got us a room. We have pets and they got us a place that accepted our pets for like two months,” said Amneris.

The giving didn’t stop there. Everything from finding and helping them pay to get into a newly decorated home, to the hand delivered furniture they’re sitting on, St. Vincent de Paul CARES helped with it all.

“They got us new beds. The other beds started growing mold at the bottom. We weren’t even going to risk it. They got us new beds, clothes sheets, pillows, everything you see here, they got,” said Amneris.

That’s the kind of help St. Vincent de Paul CARES CEO Michael Raposa said they’re always prepared to provide. But this year proved to be more demanding.

“We help between 200 and 500 households every holiday season. It’s probably closer to the 500 range this year,” he said.

It’s what makes donations so important. This year they’ve been not only in need of holiday gifts but also basic needs like furniture and food for people who never thought they would need it.

“Situations like the hurricane really drive a lot more people into that population that they’re not accustomed to being there. And it certainly puts a strain on us as an organization. I would say more so this year than any other year,” Raposa said.

Which made it even more of a mad dash to help families like the Martins get into a home, just in time for Santa.