A Texas Hill Country nonprofit raised $60 million for flood relief efforts in the two-and-a-half weeks since Fourth of July storms inundated parts of Central Texas, its chief executive announced Tuesday morning.
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country began distributing the funding to nonprofits through its Kerr County Relief Fund, which it formed the same day as the catastrophic flooding that killed at least 135 people in the state.
The $60 million doubles the amount the foundation raised within the first week of the widespread flood relief response, which garnered global support.
The organization distributed a second round of grants Tuesday to nonprofits supporting people, businesses and emergency response efforts that the floods have impacted, said Austin Dickson, the foundation’s CEO.
The grants total $4.4 million and would reach 15 nonprofits, he said, after a $5 million first round funded a group of 22, according to the foundation’s website.
The recipients in the latest round of funding include the Ingram Independent School District, Citywest Church, Hunt Preservation Society, West Kerr County Chamber of Commerce and Center Point Alliance for Progress.
“In the past three weeks, we’ve seen an outpouring of generosity of online donations, cash donations and checks of course, but we’ve also been sent stuffed animals, cards made by children, scripture, pieces of art, drawings, poetry, long handwritten letters from people all over the country who are grieving with our community right now or are in solidarity with us,” Dickson said during a news briefing Tuesday.
LiftFund, a nonprofit business lender, received more than $2 million from the foundation since the flooding — the most of any recipient, according to the foundation’s website.
Ingram ISD also received over $1 million as it attempts to rebuild a few weeks ahead of the first day of school. Its central administration building is a “total loss” and toxic to enter, Dickson said.
“The road ahead for our area is going to be long, and it’s not going to be easy,” Dickson, a Kerrville resident, said. “It will take many years to recover, and the needs are going to be very great. But we will be there as the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country every step of the way, listening to them and making sure these donated funds are going to those who need it most.”
The foundation is accepting donations on its website and at its office, located at 241 Earl Garrett Street in Kerrville.
Its supporters have so far included Texas celebrities Maren Morris, Robert Earl Keen and Mexican rock band Maná in addition to Tiff’s Treats, a cookie company founded in Austin.
Dickson said the foundation next week will announce members of a “community advisory council” overseeing grant-making and will outline how its Kerr County Flood Relief Fund will work in the long-term future. He said the foundation also plans to collect data on community needs to help guide the grant process.
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