Hurricane Harvey: Texas Tough

The CS-L community has been watching and worrying as we've seen Hurricane Harvey leave unprecedented harm and damage in its wake. We are saddened to see people's lives uprooted. We are particularly sensitive to the most vulnerable who often feel the effects of the storm even more acutely. We are also heartened by the response and outpouring of care from people throughout the United States and beyond. We share in this spirit and are eager to assist. But what is the best way to respond?

After Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy, we found that the best intentions were hurting recovery and rebuilding work. Infrastructure to support volunteers, especially those not trained in this type of work, takes time. This spring may even be too soon for anyone to organize service trips. We know that what communities need most when recovering from a disaster of this magnitude is financial support, not unskilled volunteers on the ground stretching limited resources even thinner.

The Corporation for National Community Service helps us understand how to respond in a thoughtful and helpful way: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/…/bulletins/1b32c5e

So how can we help? There are numerous organizations with trained staff, existing relationships, an understanding of the unique issues in the Houston and Gulf regions, and sensitivity to ensure that they are doing more good than harm. Check out how you can support these organizations here: https://medium.com/…/the-response-to-hurricane-harvey-by-me… and here: http://www.dhrm.virginia.gov/…/disaster-relief-harvey-2017.…

We will be keeping tabs on how the recovery is going and determine when it may be appropriate for us to plan an alternative break with a community requesting our support. Thank you for your care, passion, and commitment.