Governor Rick Scott stepped back from the debate against Senator Bill Nelson that was scheduled for this week to focus on hurricane relief. This week, Governor Scott and Volunteer Florida thanked businesses and people who have stepped up and helped with donations to the Florida Disaster Fund, which he activated last week to help during times of need.

In a written statement, Governor Scott noted that “As we recover from Hurricane Michael, we have seen so much support for families impacted by this devastating storm and we are grateful for the generosity of so many Floridians and Americans who donated. Donations to the Florida Disaster Fund go directly to support families in their recovery and help them get back on their feet. We cannot thank these businesses enough for helping our state during this difficult time.”

The CEO of Volunteer Florida, David Mica Jr., also commented on the matter, saying that “Volunteer Florida appreciates the generosity of the corporations that donated to the Florida Disaster Fund. Their commitment will offer hope to the many Floridians who were affected by Hurricane Michael and provide ongoing support as the Panhandle recovers from this disastrous storm.”

The Florida Disaster Fund is the sunshine state’s official private fund meant to help communities in the state as they seek to rebuild and assist during times of disasters or emergencies.

Some of the largest donations have come from Aetna, Duke Energy, Uber and Wells Fargo who respectively donated $100,000, $50,000, $25,000 and $250,000.

Statewide Republican candidates also took time to get involved by helping out with transporting supplies to areas heavily affected by Hurricane Michael. In addition, Andrew Gillum also announced that he would be stepping down from the upcoming gubernatorial debate to help assist with rebuilding and restructuring the Panhandle area.

All candidates are committed to getting back on the campaign trail, but rebuilding the sunshine state takes precedence.