Texas Floods: Hundreds of Red Cross Workers Lend a Hand

American Red Cross workers are on the ground in Texas, helping residents of the Lone Star State impacted by yet another devastating flooding situation. Rain continues to fall in the region where the ongoing flooding has already damaged or destroyed thousands of homes and businesses.

RED CROSS RESPONSE

Hundreds of Red Cross volunteers from all over the country are in Texas, operating or supporting 17 shelters, providing meals, helping assess the damage and distributing relief supplies. Red Cross volunteer Santana Garcia, 61, and his wife, Idalia Trevino, 63, drove to the affected area to help families in need. They have been volunteering with the Red Cross for six years and feel humbled to serve fellow Texans as the rain continues to fall. In addition to bottled water, their volunteer team distributed tarps, mops, bug spray, cleaning supplies, gloves, face masks and other items. This is the couple’s 17th disaster volunteering with the Red Cross in various capacities.

The Red Cross deployed 22 emergency response vehicles to help and six more are on the way to Texas to support the relief effort. Partners like the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief and Salvation Army are also supporting efforts to provide feeding in shelters and along mobile routes.

Red Cross mental health workers are helping people cope, many of whom have been hit with flood damage more than once. Health workers are assisting with minor first aid needs and helping replace things like lost medications and eyeglasses. Red Cross caseworkers are meeting with families one-on-one to help them get the help they need. The Red Cross has important information people should follow to stay safe if they live in a community affected by the flooding.

MULTIPLE DISASTERS IN TEXAS THIS YEAR

Over the last year, the American Red Cross has helped tens of thousands of people across Texas impacted by relentless severe weather, flooding and tornadoes in more than 130 counties—many of which were struck multiple times.

So far this year, the Red Cross helped as:

HOW TO HELP

The Red Cross needs the public’s help now. You can help people affected by the Texas Floods and Tornadoes by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word TXFLOODS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations to Texas Floods and Tornadoes will be used to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from these disasters.

BECOME A RED CROSS VOLUNTEER

Another way people can help is to become a Red Cross volunteer. The donated time and talent of a Red Cross volunteer can make a real difference in people’s lives. Go to redcross.org to learn more about volunteer opportunities and how to submit a volunteer application.

FAMILY LOSES EVERYTHING

With four feet of water lapping at their door, Maria Esquivel of Rosenberg and her family left their home and sought refuge at a Red Cross shelter in Fort Bend. At the shelter, she, along with her husband, son, daughter and grandchildren, have found a safe, dry place to stay until they are able to return home.

"We have family in San Antonio but want to be able to get back in the house to clean up as soon as the water recedes," Esquivel explained.

The family lost everything except for five sets of clothing that they were able to get as they evacuated, including her husband’s car. The Red Cross is helping hundreds of families like Maria’s across Texas as the floodwaters continue to rise and more families are forced to leave everything behind.