Hurricane Harvey Recovery Fund to Help Houston-Area Clients and Staff Displaced by Flooding

Alexandria, Va. (Sept. 7, 2017) — In response to the devastation caused by flooding in the Houston area, Volunteers of America has established the Hurricane Harvey Recovery Fund to provide emergency relief and rebuilding assistance for those in need.

Those wishing to contribute can donate online at https://donate.voa.org/harvey.

Money collected will be used in part to establish a distribution center for basic need supplies at Volunteers of America Texas’ Houston office, located at 4808 Yale St. Items being collected and distributed include cleaning supplies, toiletries, bedding, basic household items and gift cards to help Volunteers of America clients and others reestablish their homes after being displaced.

“We’re on the ground in Houston and assessing the effects of Hurricane Harvey firsthand,” said Volunteers of America Texas CEO Angela King. “We’ve weathered many storms in the past, and are committed to helping our storm victims now and in the long-run as some will need counseling and support once the water recedes. We’re focused specifically on the working poor, as they are a group disproportionally hurt by this type of disaster.”

Volunteers of America has served Texas for more than 100 years. In areas affected by Hurricane Harvey, including the greater Houston area and the City of Victoria, the organization owns and operates seven housing properties and two offices. Volunteers of America Texas also serves individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the region, as well as veterans already at risk of homelessness. Additionally, staff members and their families have been displaced; some moved to Houston from Louisiana after experiencing similar circumstances following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

In addition to the immediate distribution of basic need supplies, Volunteers of America Texas is focused on longer-term recovery, especially in its job training programs. The organization is now looking for new classroom space for training classes, and is working with Houston-area employers to find new jobs for clients who may now be out of work due to the storm.

About Volunteers of America

Volunteers of America is a national, nonprofit, faith-based organization dedicated to helping those in need live healthy, safe and productive lives. Since 1896, our ministry of service has supported and empowered America’s most vulnerable groups, including veterans, seniors, people with disabilities, at-risk youth, men and women returning from prison, homeless individuals and families, those recovering from addictions and many others. Through hundreds of human service programs, including housing and health care, Volunteers of America helps more than 1.4 million people in over 400 communities.