
Multiple states and agencies nationwide were called to assist citizens impacted by the epic amount of rainfall in Texas and Louisiana from Hurricane Harvey. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel J. Martinez)
Today marks 3 years since Hurricane Harvey swept through Southern Texas producing $125 billion in damage. With nearly 135,000 homes destroyed and 13 million people affected, Harvey was the second most costly and damaging hurricane to hit the U.S. since 1900. Because of the large impact this storm had, many are still recovering from the devastation that struck. Today, we take a moment to remember those deeply affected by losses from August 25th, 2017, the beginning of a horrible disaster.
With around 60,000 people dying a year due to natural disasters of many kinds, it seems like there should be more resources to help those in typically affected areas prepare for such events so they can not only stay safe but try to retain their homes so less are homeless in the aftermath. Wanting to put more efforts toward disaster relief, Rebuilding Together created a new program designed specifically for disaster resiliency. Initially, the main focus was on recovery and rebuilding after a natural disaster strikes. Within the last year, Rebuilding Together decided to expand its scope and include four major aspects when looking at disaster resiliency and what that means – mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Through this came the disaster resiliency fellowship that is now offered to AmeriCorps members in certain locations. They work to not only pick up the pieces after a storm but help that area prepare beforehand so the aftermath is less devastating. Initial mitigation and preparedness are huge steps that are often lacking so we turned our efforts in that direction in hopes that it will lessen the damage repair needed to be done in the last stage of responding to the crisis.
Rebuilding Together, as a national organization, works to not only provide safe and healthy homes but also strives to be a resource for many in horrible situations like those who have lost homes due to a natural disaster. While we continue to grow our services, we also always encourage communities to stick together. There is a lot of power behind neighbors helping neighbors.
Link to article referred to in this blog post: