The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country announced on Friday, Sept. 4, that they will give $967,575 in grant funds to provide temporary housing to residents of Kerr County and Comfort who have been displaced by the flooding. The program will be managed by the First Presbyterian Church of Kerrville.
“We’ve been working on this program with the First Presbyterian Church of Kerrville for awhile,” said Kelly Hagemeir at a Kerrville Host Lion’s Club meeting on Tuesday, Sept 1. “This should provide some relief for the many families we’re seeing displaced.”
According to Hagemeier, nearly 50% of the calls received by Kerr Together in the last few weeks have been requests for temporary housing. As mold is discovered in homes and complexes through Rebuild Kerr, individuals with medical conditions or compromised health are increasingly forced to leave their homes without the funds for temporary housing.
“Some people are still living in unsafe homes or even in their cars,” Hagemeier said.
According to a statement from the Community Foundation on Sept. 4, the grant will fund up to three months worth of temporary housing for individuals and families in the area.
“For a family whose home has been damaged or made unlivable, having a safe place to stay provides the stability they need to begin making longer-term decisions,” said the Rev. Jasiel Hernandez Garcia, senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Kerrville. “We’re grateful to continue walking alongside families affected by this disaster and helping them take the next steps towards recovery.”
The grant funds come after President Donald Trump allowed the release of $50.5 million in federal public assistance for Kerr and other counties affected by the July 16 flood.
“Public assistance is for county and city owned property like roads and bridges. It’s not individual assistance,” said Clint Morris, Kerr County spokesperson. “Individual assistance funds is what we’ve all been waiting for.”
While individual assistance from FEMA is still pending, the Community Foundation says it will continue to put donated dollars to use within Kerr County and the surrounding areas.
“Recovery takes an entire community working together,” said Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. “These are charitable dollars donated by people who want to help their neighbors, and it’s our job to put them to work where they can make a difference.”
Families that have filled out a needs assessment from Rebuild Kerr and indicated a need for housing will be contacted by case managers from Kerr Together. Individuals and families in need of temporary housing due to the July 16 flooding who have not filled out a needs assessment can begin the process by visiting rebuildkerr.org.
Leave a Reply