HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Local leaders joined forces Monday to announce the activation of the Hurricane Beryl Recovery Fund.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo stood together Monday as the announcement was made during a news conference at the United Way of Greater Houston.
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The fund will provide low-to-moderate-income families with emergency financial help, home repairs and other resources. It's available for residents in the City of Houston, Harris County, Fort Bend County, Montgomery County and Waller County. Particularly, those without home insurance will be eligible.
"When disaster strikes, we're reminded that no one organization can do it all. It requires a collaborative and coordinated response from nonprofit, for-profit, public sector and philanthropic communities to ensure that the most vulnerable in our region get the help they need to start the recovery process," Bob Harvey, with the Greater Houston Disaster Alliance, said.
According to Hidalgo, more than 6,800 people in Harris County reported damage to their homes, many of which reported major damage. She said more than 140 homes were "totally" destroyed in the storm.
"So the damage continues. We've seen the images. We've visited with these folks that have a tree going through their home, that have water falling in adding insult to injury, that have debris, whose food has gone bad, who can't afford to hire the support to be able to improve that," Hidalgo said.
The Greater Houston Disaster Alliance was created just over a year ago with the intention of working alongside local leaders to maximize the impact of generous donations to recovery funds.
Donations
There have been three generous donations made to the fund already that were highlighted during Monday's news conference:
- $1 million from the Sarofim Foundation
- $1 million from H-E-B
- $1 million from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation
How it works
In partnership with City and County leaders, and the Disaster Alliance’s Disaster Recovery Council, the decision to launch the Hurricane Beryl Recovery Fund was based on the significant number of households affected by severe weather and the hardships created on those families who were already struggling before disaster struck.
How will money raised by the Fund be used to help those affected by the storms?
The Hurricane Beryl Recovery Fund will serve uninsured or underinsured low-to-moderate income families (ALICE population) in the affected counties of Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, and Waller, focusing on disproportionately impacted zip codes and vulnerable populations. As more data becomes available, we will continue to refine our funding strategy.
What if I need help right now before funds are available?
We encourage you to call the 211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE to find out about available resources. 211 connects our neighbors with help 24/7/365 and is our community’s go-to resource in times of disaster. 211 can connect you with food, childcare, transportation, and other social services, critical information, and community resources.
Please understand that in times of disaster, there can be long wait times due to periods of heavy call volume. Assistance through 211 can also be accessed through the following methods:
- Visit 211texas.org to search resources online or chat online with a specialist
- Email help@unitedwayhouston.org
What if I live in another county that was affected by severe weather, how can I get help?
We encourage you to call the 211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE to be connected to available resources in your community.
My organization is interested in resources from the Greater Houston Disaster Alliance. Can we be considered?
To inquire about registering in the Disaster Alliance nonprofit network, contact:
Sara Martinez, smartinez@ghcf.org, or Brooke Campbell, bcampbell@unitedwayhouston.org.
How to help
Anyone who needs help or can volunteer to provide help is asked to call 211 or visit volunteerhouston.org.
Watch the full news conference below: