Mayor, County Judge establish Houston-Harris County Winter Storm Relief Fund
HOUSTON - As Texans continue to recover from the devastating winter weather, local leaders are trying to provide some community-driven help.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced on Monday that they have established the Houston-Harris County Winter Storm Relief Fund. The fund will focus on relief and recovery efforts across the City of Houston and Harris County.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THE HISTORIC WINTER STORMS
"Houstonians are strong and resilient, but many were already facing hardships with the COVID-19 pandemic before the historic winter freeze. People now need help recovering from the damage to their homes and other personal property, and this relief fund will provide that assistance," said Mayor Turner.
The distributions and grants will be used to "provide relief efforts and recovery and to support aid to the individuals, families, and communities affected by the impact of the 2021 Severe Winter Storm Emergency in Harris County and the City of Houston."
This fund will focus on meeting the needs of families who need additional help to recover, supporting nonprofits who can help with plumbing and home repairs, temporary housing, and other basic needs relief.
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Reporting property damage caused by the historic winter storms helps the City of Houston and the State of Texas qualify for recovery assistance from the federal government.
"Here in Harris County when we get knocked down we get back up, dust ourselves off and get to work right away to help our neighbors. I’m pleased to partner with Mayor Turner, the Greater Houston Community Foundation and the United Way to provide another source of support for our community," said Judge Hidalgo.
The Greater Houston Community Foundation and United Way of Greater Houston will jointly oversee and administer the grant distribution process with the help of a grants committee, which will include local philanthropic professionals. The Foundation and United Way are now accepting donations online. CLICK HERE to donate or fill out the form below:
Those impacted by the storm and needing help now can text HoustonFreeze to 898211, or for Spanish, text HoustonAyuda to 898211 (TXT211 on iPhone). When assistance is available, individuals will be contacted regarding eligibility requirements and information on how to apply. There will be a concerted effort to complement FEMA federal assistance, and we encourage impacted families to apply to FEMA now at disasterassistance.gov.
The Greater Houston Community Foundation and United Way of Greater Houston will share information about all grants publicly on the Fund’s website, WinterStormReliefFund.org, and through other communications for complete transparency about the expenditure of funds.