Disaster relief begins in Houston; recovery continues in SE Texas

HOUSTON—As floodwaters began to recede, Texas Baptists assessed needs and initiated disaster relief in the Houston area while wrapping up relief and beginning long-term recovery in Southeast Texas.

Texas Baptist Men disaster relief workers established a command post in the Copperfield area of northwest Houston, and volunteer chaplains offered prayer and spiritual support to flood victims.

A Texas Baptist Men mud-out volunteer pressure-washes the floor of a home in Orange. Other TBM crews have started work in Katy and likely will expand to other flood-damaged parts of the Houston area. (TBM Photo)AmeriCorps volunteers who had worked with TBM crews in the Orange area also relocated to northwest Harris County.

In Katy, west of Houston, TBM mud-out teams cleaned eight homes, removed damaged drywall and flooring from 11 houses and completed nine mold-remediation jobs.

TBM mud-out crews also worked on several homes around Smithville in Bastrop County. Last year, TBM chainsaw crews and heavy-equipment operators served there after wildfires swept through the Hidden Pines area.

A Texas Baptist Men mud-out volunteer removes damaged drywall and insulation from a home in Orange. (TBM Photo)TBM completed disaster relief ministries in East Texas, where workers donated 1,844 volunteer hours in five locations. TBM volunteers prepared 11,113 meals, distributed 8,133 boxes residents used to collect their scattered possessions, presented 163 Bibles, provided access to 1,114 showers and washed 1,546 loads of laundry. Mud-out crews cleaned 143 homes, tore damaged material from 159 houses, pressure-washed 49 houses and completed 155 mold-remediation jobs.

Mobilizing volunteers for Houston

Both TBM and the Baptist General Convention of Texas disaster recovery office began mobilizing volunteers for short-term and long-range projects in Houston.

TBM is accepting church groups to assist in daylong or half-day cleanup projects in the Houston area. For more information, click here. 

Volunteers interested in helping with Texas Baptists’ disaster recovery can contact Marla Bearden at (214) 828-5382 or [email protected], Gerald Davis at (214) 828-5392 or [email protected] or click here. The office is scheduling volunteer teams to work in the Houston area from May to August. Housing will be provided at a minimal cost.

In addition to enlisting volunteers, Texas Baptists’ disaster recovery office also is helping promote donation sites in the Houston area. Only nonperishable food, new towels and blankets, hygiene items, diapers, baby wipes and water are accepted.

Sites in Houston to drop off donated items are:

• Bee Busy Wellness Center at 8785 W. Bellifort, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
• Loving Word Fellowship at 170 Rittenhouse, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
• LAMIK at 2610 Greenbriar Dr., 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
• Community of Faith at 1024 Pinemont Dr., 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Deweyville still needs help

Texas Baptists’ disaster recovery program also continues to seek volunteers to help in Deweyville, a Newton County community about 30 miles northeast of Beaumont. Housing is provided. “Call now, as the calendar is filling up,” Bearden said.

Calvary Baptist Church in Deweyville sustained serious flood damage and did not have flood insurance. The disaster recovery office is enlisting volunteers to provide labor and churches to partner with the affected congregation to help buy furniture, fixtures and other items lost in the flood.

To contribute to TBM disaster relief, click here or send a check designated “disaster relief” to Texas Baptist Men, 5351 Catron, Dallas 75227.

To contribute to long-term recovery efforts, mail checks to Texas Baptists’ Disaster Recovery, 7557 Rambler Rd., Suite 1100, Dallas 75231-2310 or click here.