About Us

Executive Committee

Chair -Tony Pernas 

Vice Chair - Harry Henkel

Treasurer - Tammie Pernas

Secretary - Elaine Middelstaet

Mike Lyne – Plantation 

Karen Cochrane- Chokoloskee

Vacant - Copeland

The Communities of Everglades Disaster Recovery (CEDR) was established after Hurricane Irma in 2017 due to the lack of communication and coordination among the agencies serving the hard-hit areas of the greater Everglades including Everglades City, Chokoloskee, Plantation and Copeland.   

CEDR is a collaboration of non-profits, faith-based, local, state and national organizations whose mission is to assist in identifying the unmet needs of those affected by disaster.  Working together to share information and resources to address the needs of individuals, businesses and families.

CEDR has an executive committee, by laws and is a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization.

To bring together government, civic and faith based organizations, business, and volunteers to make our community more prepared, resilient and self-sufficient. Together, members will enhance the community’s ability to mitigate, prepare, respond and recover from disasters thus ensuring that human needs compromised in a disaster situation are evaluated and addressed. This will be achieved through cooperation, coordination, communication, and collaboration of member organizations.