Disaster Response United States Project #29394

Help Texas Recover after Hurricane Harvey

by All Hands and Hearts

Project Report | Jul 17, 2019
Resilient Home Repairs Ramp Up in Texas!

By Cat Van Le | Compliance Coordinator

A volunteer lays waterproof flooring at a home

All Hands and Hearts is still going strong in Texas – to date, we have completed rebuild work on 44 homes in the Houston and Coastal Bend areas, with 12 homes currently in progress. Because of you, and the added support of GlobalGiving’s Hurricane Harvey funds, we have been able to continue helping families return to their homes.

We have also coordinated with other organizations and long-term recovery groups to combine efforts and bridge the gap for recovery services in the community. Most notably, we began a pilot home for resilient design in tandem with West Street Recovery and other organizations across Houston, and are beginning to implement the same techniques in Coastal Bend. Our program team is taking a highly focused approach on enhancing interior resiliency to future flood events. The approach takes a set of strategies – including laying waterproof vinyl flooring, installing styrofoam insulation, and building muckable walls – to prevent future mold growth and reduce overall costs of rebuild if a home floods again in the future. These partnerships help create a more collaborative space across repair and rebuild groups to better develop resiliency across all active organizations in the communities in which we serve.

Thanks to the continued generosity from GlobalGiving and donors like you, All Hands and Hearts will continue rebuild efforts well into next year! The life-changing impact that you have helped us accomplish cannot be overstated – Maria, whose home was recently completed, said “Since Hurricane Harvey, I've been doing all the repair work myself as a single mom, not knowing anything about building or construction, so it was such a weight off my shoulders to have All Hands and Hearts working here at my house".

On behalf of our homeowners and the All Hands and Hearts team in Texas, thank you for your unwavering support!

A site supervisor cuts styrofoam insulation

Permalink

Apr 22, 2019
Texas Rebuild in Full Swing!

By Cat Van Le | Compliance Coordinator

Hello donors!

All Hands and Hearts has had a strong start to 2019, finishing 23 homes in the Houston and Coastal Bend areas to date, with 9 homes currently in various stages of the rebuild process. Due to our generous donors, and the added support of GlobalGiving’s Hurricane Harvey funds, we have been able to sustain a high level of home completions for the past quarter. We have been hosting two AmeriCorps groups since late January, and will continue to do so through July. These teams have provided a consistent volunteer base to support our program, and we have been so lucky to have them on our AHAH team! Since they are here long-term and part of our training program, they have learned a variety of valuable skills and will have the ability to take the lead on certain projects, working closely with new volunteers, who are equally excited to learn something new! This allows our site supervisors to continue overseeing homes in progress, and for new sites to be prepared for rebuild.

In February we hired a Partnership Manager based in Houston, developing a stronger presence within the network of long-term rebuild organizations and universities to develop sustainable resources that bring volunteers to program, emphasize information-sharing across partners, and explore opportunities for innovative contributions to Houston's disaster preparedness. We are currently developing a partnership with the University of Houston to build more opportunities for service-learning and volunteering among student populations.

Thanks to the support from GlobalGiving and donors like you, All Hands and Hearts has been able to continue helping residents move back into their homes and, ultimately, rebuild hope. Cindy, the owner of a recently completed home, said “I sat in my kitchen just praying, wondering if this is what my house would be like forever. Then y’all showed up the next day. Now I have the most beautiful home to leave my daughter.”

Thank you for your continued support of our work across Texas. We couldn’t do it without you!

An AmeriCorps member repairs drywall for a home

Permalink

Jan 22, 2019
Rebuild Continues in Texas!

By Cat Van Le | Compliance Coordinator

Hello donors!

2018 was a remarkable year for All Hands and Hearts - between our Houston and Coastal Bend programs, teams have rebuilt a total of 41 homes, completed 433 muck and gut sites, and sanitized 164 homes for mold, allowing over 2,700 individuals to be able to move back into their homes. Much of this was possible due to you, our generous donors, and the added support of GlobalGiving's Hurricane Harvey funds.

We currently have 10 homes that are in various stages of rebuild. Many of these homes are in areas already stricken with systemic poverty, which made the resulting burden on owners of storm-damaged homes exponentially greater. We have had an amazing boost of volunteers in the last several months, and applications and commitments remain strong for both programs. We have hosted multiple AmeriCorps, University, and corporate groups, and at the end of the month we are welcoming two more groups who have committed to stay for 8 months. This will give volunteers the opportunity to develop technical skills related to home rebuilds, which will subsequently allow All Hands and Hearts to rebuild even more homes.

As we begin 2019, All Hands and Hearts is continuing to build strong roots in the communities in which we serve. We have been fortunate enough to attend events such as performances put on by the Rhodes School, which we helped rebuild, and local Women's Club gatherings that have strengthened our connections with these communities even more. Our field teams are working hard every day to help these communities recover fully, working closely with our partners and other long term recovery groups to make this goal a reality.

Thanks to the generosity of GlobalGiving and donors like you, All Hands and Hearts has committed to staying in Texas for the next year and a half. Your continued support allows us to help residents who may not be able to get assistance otherwise. Kenneth, the owner of a recently finished house, expressed his thanks: "I am overwhelmed with gratitude. My home had to be totally gutted. It's 1,900 square feet. They restored everything. It's looking better than it was originally".

Again, we thank you for your unwavering support as we continue our work in Texas. It wouldn't be possible without you!

Permalink

‹ 1 2 3 4 5 ›

About Project Reports

Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.

If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.