Hurricane Harvey: The Recovery of Hope

Long before the floodwaters of Hurricane Harvey had even begun receding, volunteers who later would organize the Fayette County Disaster Recovery Team were already helping neighbors rescue their goods, shelter their families, pray for their protection and inspire hope.

In September 2017, the Disaster Recovery Team (DRT) was formally organized and, working with the La Grange Area Ministerial Association, accepted oversight of some $57,000 of funds donated for disaster relief. Joy and Steve Cameron immediately offered the rent-free use of the vacant industrial warehouse they had recently purchased, and for the next two years, this was the hub of disaster recovery in the La Grange area.

In the months that followed, the DRT became the local point of contact for private-sector relief agencies that subsequently have put thousands of volunteer hours and millions of dollars into rebuilding the lives of Fayette County residents from whom Hurricane Harvey had robbed both property and hope.

Thanks to Samaritan’s Purse, Mennonite Disaster Services, the American Red Cross, Texas Meals on Wheels, the Central Texas Food Bank, the Salvation Army, Texas Habitat for Humanity, Catholic Charities Combined Community Action and innumerable other individuals and agencies, the DRT procured more than $3.8 million for over 193 different families in this county who were impacted by Harvey. Besides money and supplies given to restore flooded homes, a total of 11 new homes were built, mostly by Mennonite volunteers, in various parts of Fayette County.

In addition, 66 clients of the Rio Texas Disaster Response Ministry of the United Methodist Church received more than $371,000 in assistance. That’s well over $4 million from private-sector and faith-based donors provided to local survivors of Hurricane Harvey.

By the end of 2018, DRT had logged 1,046 volunteers who had given 35,447 volunteer hours toward recovering from Hurricane Harvey

And this doesn’t even count the project that will provide a permanent new neighborhood of beauty and security in La Grange – Hope Hill.

Thanks to a $3 million donation from Samaritan’s Purse – which is not included in the numbers above – the DRT was able to purchase 22.95 acres on Horton Street in May 2018 to create Hope Hill – a whole new neighborhood in La Grange, built on high ground where Hurricane Harvey survivors would never have to fear flooding again.

Seven months later, in December 2018, we had completed engineering and surveying and submitted our preliminary plat to the City of La Grange for approval.

It took another four months, but in April 2019, the City Council gave final approval to the preliminary plat and construction at last could begin.

Then in July 2019, another miracle occurred. Samaritan’s Purse offered to provide full funding for completion of the new homes and subdivision and to accept direct oversight of the project. A few more months of legal work was required, while work continued on the ground, but in early February 2020, the DRT transferred outright ownership of Hope Hill to Samaritan’s Purse.

It’s been another four months, but today you see the results. Hope is alive and well in La Grange. God bless everyone who has helped make it so.

Larry Jackson is a member of the Fayette County Disaster Recovery Team board of directors since August 2018 and has served as its president since January 2019.