HURRICANE HARVEY RELIEF FUND

ABOUT THE FUND

The Fund, set up by Houston’s Mayor Turner and Harris County Judge Emmett, is focused on immediate and long-term relief efforts in Harris County and Houston (which may include City residents in Fort Bend or Montgomery County). A fund advisory committee has been established to ensure that there is a process to determine unmet needs in these areas. Tony Chase, Chairman & CEO of Chase Source, and Bill Jackson, Harris County Budget Officer, will co-chair the advisory committee of 10 members. The Greater Houston Community Foundation oversees and administers the grant distribution process.

The Greater Houston Community Foundation is a public charitable foundation focused on helping donors expand their philanthropic impact. For over 20 years we have partnered with individuals, families, corporations, foundations, and their advisors to extend their giving in new ways, with greater results.

Throughout our history, we have been proud to support and administer disaster philanthropy when our region has needed it the most. We administered the Bush Clinton Katrina Fund, The Hurricane Ike Recovery Fund, as well as the Storm Relief Fund of 2016. The devastation from Hurricane Harvey is being felt across the state by families and businesses who have been impacted in profound and numerous ways. The Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund is one of many vital philanthropic funds that, in conjunction with Federal and State efforts, are designed to support the relief and reconstruction efforts.

DISTRIBUTION & GRANTS

If you are an individual seeking assistance after Hurricane Harvey, please contact 2-1-1 to be connected with disaster assistance organizations.

The distributions and grants will be made in support of the Fund’s charitable purposes: relief efforts to aid the victims of the flooding and other weather caused by Hurricane Harvey. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Basic needs
• Behavioral health
• Home repair and temporary housing needs
• Legal services
• Transportation
• Other purposes approved by the advisory committee and consistent with the Fund’s charitable purposes

Because of the immense need in and around Houston, this Fund is dedicated to filling the gaps that are not met by other local and federal efforts. This is simply one of the many critical philanthropic efforts across Houston and Texas that will support those in affected areas, whose lives have forever been impacted by this disaster.

COMMUNITY COMMITMENT

GHCF is committed to our community and will administer the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund without charging any fees so that 100% of donations go to immediate and long-term relief efforts. We will gain support from other philanthropic partners and donors for the crucial management and grants administration we will be performing. The Greater Houston Community Foundation will share information about all grants publicly on its website and through other communications for complete transparency about the expenditure of funds.

ADVISORY BOARD

City Members:
Co – Chair: Tony Chase
Dr. Ruth Lopez Turley
Basil Abul-Hamayel
Winell Herron
Nataly Marks
Ken Valach

Harris County Members:
Co – Chair: William Jackson
Mike Ballases
William Taylor
Hattie Miranda
Janiece M. Longoria
George W. Strake, III

GRANTS COMMITTEE

Co-Chair: Jim Nutter, Budget Management Department, Harris County
Co-Chair: Y. Ping Sun, Rice University and Yetter Coleman LLP

Jo Carcedo, Episcopal Health Foundation
Meghna Goswami, Houston Endowment
Guy Hagstette, Kinder Foundation
Ashley Hanna, Laura & John Arnold Action Now Initiative
Sarah Joseph, Houston Rockets
Kelli King-Jackson, The Simmons Foundation
Elizabeth Love, Houston Endowment
Stephen Maislin, Greater Houston Community Foundation
Celene Meyer, Episcopal Health Foundation
Jennifer Nelsen, Laura & John Arnold Foundation
Tonyel Simon, Houston Endowment

CONTACT

For information about the fund or organization, please contact:

LaMecia Butler, Harvey Fund Grants Director
lbutler@ghcf.org

For media inquiries, please contact:
Rachel Young, Marketing & Brand Manager
ryoung@ghcf.org

UPDATES

Please refer to the News & Events section of our site for frequent updates.