TEXAS HURRICANE RECOVERY UPDATE JULY 2019
4,155 3,939
LIVES IMPACTED
Current Activities
VOLUNTEERS
We are quickly approaching the two year remembrance of Hurricane Harvey and the launch of our Texas programs in Houston and Coastal Bend. Nearly two years later, our teams continue to work tirelessly to produce fully-finished interior spaces that welcome families home.
34,850
VOLUNTEER DAYS
1,078
JOBS COMPLETED
In close partnership with local organizations, we are targeting our efforts to address the high levels of unmet need in communities throughout Northeast Houston, as well as smaller towns such as Taft and Refugio in Coastal Bend. In the past month, we have welcomed five families back into their homes, contributing to a total of 89 homes rebuilt in Texas.
Volunteer Voices “I expected this experience to be one dimensional — volunteering in construction. However, you all have given me so much more than that. The effort you put into your bonds with one another, and the effort you put into your bonds with homeowners is amazing and inspiring.” “The work and homeowners in Coastal Bend will stay with me for the rest of my life. There were so many learning opportunities that the staff were ecstatic to teach, and so much knowledge that was given freely without thought of time consumed. Working in so many different scopes has been a great experience.” “Most of all, it was evident that everyone had a true passion for what they were doing, which was not only inspiring, but made me even more motivated to put my all into my work regardless of how tired I was.”
Learn about our programs at
allhandsandhearts.org
Disaster Profile Hurricane Harvey made landfall on August 25, 2017, near Rockport, TX as a Category 4 Hurricane that produced a record 52" of rain and 130-mph winds. One third of Houston was completely flooded, with an estimated 136,000 homes affected in Harris County alone. The Coastal Bend region was hit especially hard, and experienced $4.5 billion in damage to an estimated 39,927 structures. Destruction in this region was magnified by high speed winds that took down trees and destroyed roofs, amplifying interior water damage far beyond that caused by the storm surge and flooding. Structures were afflicted with top-down water damage that led to long-term struggles in keeping homes dry, as well as debris and tree hazards littered throughout the region.
Our Work Thanks to critical support from donors, partners and volunteers from around the world, we have been in Houston and Coastal Bend since the immediate days after Hurricane Harvey. During the response phase, our teams were able to complete an impactful 16-week response program in Coastal Bend and an 18-week program in Houston. Since February 2018, our commitment to the recovery effort has concentrated site supervisors and volunteers on constructing high quality interior repair. We are driven by the continued recognition of the immense scale of need that still exists in Texas; and the compassion of volunteers to keep coming back.
About All Hands and Hearts We effectively and efficiently address the immediate and long-term needs of communities impacted by natural disasters. We communicate directly with local leaders and community members and then deploy our unique model of engaging volunteers to enable direct impact, helping to build safer, more resilient schools, homes and infrastructure. We have been awarded a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator five years in a row, placing us in the top 10% of all non-profits evaluated for financial and operational efficiency.
Our Partners in Texas
info@allhandsandhearts.org (508) 758-8211