PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Many people in the Tampa Bay area continue to recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

People are struggling to repair their homes or find new housing, and many are also trying to find new jobs.

The storms devastated businesses along the Tampa Bay coast. Weeks later, many are still not open.

Emotions rise and fall along the coast as people and employees piece their lives together, like beach wedding celebrant Amy Butler.

“We were just getting back into our busy work season,” Butler said. “The months from October to January are very busy for us because the weather is so beautiful. Even the weddings I’ve done off the beach have had to be postponed because people were under financial pressure.”

Butler also works part-time at Ricky T’s Bar and Grille on Treasure Island.

The owners said it will be closed until early next year while repairs are made.

“It’s obviously very difficult because you don’t have the resources available to continue to pay for things or find employment opportunities to make sure you have the money to pay next month’s rent,” Butler said.

Employees said they had to look for work further inland because many businesses along the beaches are still closed. But for businesses slowly reopening on the beach, there is hope.

“All of our employees have to split their shifts, share shifts,” said Jerry Davis, owner of three businesses in Madeira Beach.

Only one of Davis’ businesses is open, and that is Saltwater Hippie. Still, Davis does everything she can to ensure her employees have jobs.

“I try to create extra hours for them so they can do things outside or talk to other business owners who aren’t in the service industry and see if anyone needs help. “part-time help,” Davis said.

Butler hopes other job opportunities will open up soon.

“We will all return to those jobs and opportunities, but for now we need to find other opportunities and jobs,” Butler said. “We are prepared to do and take whatever is available.”