Hurricane Beryl Assistance

In Houston, we have been experiencing a brutally hot summer with 100 degrees or higher temperatures for multiple days. Our community center has been available to the public as an unofficial cooling center. We receive 3-5 people daily who come inside just to get out of the heat. In addition to providing a cool space, we have also been distributing individual water bottles throughout the day. During this time, we have also been able to assist one family with temporary housing at a motel. While the motel is not a long-term solution, the family was able to begin focusing on the next steps.

One of the challenges we faced was that the air conditioning in the community center stopped working. Since the area affected was the area in which we have children’s and elder’s activities, we were forced to close the location for a few days because it became too hot. With the support of the community, we were soon able to get the much-needed repairs and re-open the building.

In late January of this year, some of the smaller cities neighboring Houston were struck by serious storms and tornadoes. We visited the Baytown area to assist in the relief effort. Approximately 30 homes were damaged in the storm. We took supplies to 8 daycare centers and one assisted living community. We distributed 50 gallons of sanitizer, wipes, PPE, and clothing. Most of the people we spoke to self-reported as receiving assistance from the American Red Cross, but a daycare director identified one family that was possibly in need of additional assistance for utility costs and will provide contact information to us. In February, we hosted a hot meal distribution and provided breakfast, lunch, clothing, and toiletries to 75 people, including men, women, and children. Aside from the city of Baytown, two other cities; Pasadena and Deer Park, were in the path of the tornado. We have upcoming visits planned for both areas to identify needs and provide relief for residents of an apartment community where 25-50 residents were displaced.