After Tuesday night’s deluge of Southeast Texas, an untold number of people in Beaumont, Port Arthur, and other communities in Southeast Texas are still being rescued from flooded homes.
With the pumps failing, the water supply in Beaumont has been turned off, making sanitary water a big need in that area. All patients in the hospital are being evacuated. Cathedral in the Pines—the church that facilitated Somebody Cares Southeast Texas for us during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita—has opened its doors as a shelter, currently housing 70-80 residents.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Houston, the people of Rockport are returning to their homes to assess the damage.
“The energy here is picking up,” says Somebody Cares Field Rep Mark Roye, even though the water is still not on and power will not be back on for 3-4 weeks.
“People are returning with heart-wrenching stories,” Mark says, “yet there is still encouragement and hope.” One couple returned from New York City to discover the wife lost her art studio in the storm. But instead of being discouraged, she asked, “What can I do to serve?”
Mercy Chefs, in partnership with Somebody Cares and Mark’s Holy Smoke team, is now preparing and serving over 4000 meals per day in Rockport while setting up another feeding station at Calvary Chapel Friendswood.
“Fuel is and will continue to be a big issue, as well,” Mark says.
In the Pearland area south of Houston, SCA is setting up a warehouse that is not only ready to receive truckloads of supplies but will also be offering training for volunteers on how to gut homes.
Rick Torrison, coordinator of prayer initiatives for Somebody Cares, reports that the Brazos River will be cresting tomorrow or Saturday, and water is expected to sit at the seven foot level for at least seven days. Affected residents in Pearland, Dickinson, and Alvin have already been told their houses are going to be unsalvageable. “And that, of course, is a hard thing to hear,” Ricks says.
Transitional shelters are closing with evacuees being moved to more permanent shelters, and the Pearland schools are trying to open on Tuesday to help bring some normalcy back to the families there but each school has at least 3-5 teachers who have lost vehicles or homes or both.
Logistical Update:
- 10 pallets of water, canned foods, and snacks were delivered to Victory Christian Center in New Caney, about five minutes away from evacuated area.
- The SCA warehouse on Beltway 8 will be receiving 1,000 new mattresses on Saturday.
- The Lindell Foundation is donating 50,000 My Pillows.
- Gulf Coast Foursquare Church will be housing teams at their campgrounds, as they did during Hurricane Ike relief.
Updated Needs List:
- New socks – all sizes
- New t-shirts/underwear – all sizes
- Disposable diapers
- Baby formula
- Baby wipes
- Other new baby supplies
- New stuffed animals to comfort children
- Backpacks for personal items
- Rubber bins lids for person items
- Coolers
- New blankets
- New pillows
- Dog crates for pets in shelters
- Cleaning supplies (buckets, mops, bleach, rubber gloves, heavy duty garbage bags, etc.)
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Gift cards for local churches to distribute
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Trash bags, masks, rubber boots, rakes
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Large tent(s)
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Potable water truck
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Walkie talkies
Thank you for caring!