Greater Houston Disaster Alliance Invests $1.5 Million in Home Repair Grants to Nonprofits Serving Impact Households

Second round of grants brings total invested for storm recovery to $2.8 million

HOUSTON, TX (July 2, 2024) – The Greater Houston Disaster Alliance is investing $1,516,000 from its Severe Weather and Derecho Recovery Fund in grants to help low-income neighbors who are struggling to recover from severe weather that impacted the region in recent months. The fund’s second round of grants will support home repair services for those affected by the severe weather and derecho winds that occurred between April 26 and May 17, 2024.

To date, the Severe Weather and Derecho Recovery Fund has raised $3 million from generous corporations, foundations, and individuals.

Nonprofit partners receiving grants to provide home repair services include Hope Disaster Recovery, Houston Habitat for Humanity, West Street Recovery, Rebuilding Together Houston, The Restoration Team and Tejano Center for Community Concerns. A system coordination grant was provided to Connective to support centralized access to home repair services. To move quickly and efficiently in getting aid to those in need, grants are distributed through a trusted network of nonprofit partners based on existing capacity to provide needed services and geographical reach to affected communities in the City of Houston and Harris, Montgomery and Waller counties.

“Rebuilding after a storm can be a daunting task for anyone, but especially for those hardworking families who have exhausted all resources and have nowhere to turn for help,” said Amanda McMillian, president and CEO, United Way of Greater Houston. “Having a safe and stable home is an important part of returning to normalcy after a disaster, and we hope these grants ease some of the pressure during already difficult times.”   

The Disaster Recovery Council, made up of volunteer leaders from the business and philanthropic community, leads grantmaking efforts for the Greater Houston Disaster Alliance. To better understand community needs and help guide funding decisions, the Disaster Alliance utilized a list of area zip codes disproportionately impacted by recent weather events. They then consulted corresponding data sources to identify the ten zip codes with the highest number of damaged homes and where 50% or more of the population have household incomes that qualify as ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) — a designation for households that do not qualify for the Federal Poverty Level but earn below the basic cost of living. These households are less likely to have the resources available for home repairs and are more likely to experience significant financial hardship when disaster strikes. 

“The generous corporations, foundations, and individuals who continued to support this fund, even after power had been restored and most people returned to a normal routine, have made such an important impact for those struggling to recover,” said Stephen Maislin, president and CEO, Greater Houston Community Foundation. “We’re grateful for the generosity of our donors and for our nonprofit partners who are working tirelessly to help those most affected by these recent disasters.”

Residents of the City of Houston and Harris, Montgomery and Waller counties who were impacted by the severe weather and seeking home repair assistance must complete the Connective Needs Assessment at ConnectiveSurvey.org and file a claim with FEMA in order to be eligible for assistance. Households who are ineligible for FEMA and public assistance, i.e. undocumented or mixed status households, are not required to apply for FEMA to apply for and receive home repair services. Due to the limited philanthropic resources available, home repair services will prioritize the most vulnerable low-income households with critical needs.

Anyone in need of assistance other than home repair through this grant should call the 211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE, the community’s key 24/7 information source during times of disaster. United Way’s 211 provides callers with the most updated information on assistance with utilities, housing or rental assistance, legal services, crisis counseling, access to senior and veteran services, information on food pantries in the community and other available services. Assistance through 211 can also be accessed through the following methods in the event of long wait times due to periods of heavy call volume:

• Visit 211texas.org to search resources, or chat online with a specialist.
• Email [email protected] for assistance.

With over 35 years of combined experience leading disaster recovery efforts, the Greater Houston Disaster Alliance was formed by Greater Houston Community Foundation and United Way of Greater Houston to ensure that the region has the networks and systems in place to respond rapidly, equitably and effectively in times of disaster. Through an initial investment from Enbridge and Phillips 66, the Disaster Alliance focuses on catalyzing public and private partnerships to strengthen year-round disaster preparedness and resiliency.

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