Hurricane Beryl Recovery Fund

July 11, 2024

Helping our neighbors in times of need.

On Monday, July 8, Hurricane Beryl made landfall between Matagorda and Galveston as a Category 1 Hurricane, impacting the City of Houston and Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery, and Waller counties with damaging, sustained high wind and heavy rainfall. In its wake, Beryl left nearly 3 million residents in the Houston region without power.

On Tuesday, July 9, President Joe Biden approved a Major Disaster Declaration which positions FEMA to make funding available to local governments to aid in debris removal and emergency work, including direct federal assistance once authorized. All four counties in the Disaster Alliance’s service area are included in the declaration. President Biden amended the Major Disaster Declaration for Texas on July 12 authorizing additional federal assistance to disaster survivors who are uninsured or underinsured. They can register for a range of support services, including financial aid to repair or rebuild their homes, temporary housing solutions, and access other specialized programs designed to help them quickly get back on their feet and recover from the disaster.

The Greater Houston Disaster Alliance (Disaster Alliance), has established the Hurricane Beryl Recovery Fund (Fund). This Fund will support individuals and families affected by the severe weather, winds, and aftermath of Hurricane Beryl. The Fund will complement regional efforts by providing grants to local nonprofits to provide emergency financial assistance, home repair, and resource navigation services.

Thank You, Donors!

The Hurricane Beryl Recovery Fund has raised $6 million!

Thank you to our early donors for kickstarting our recovery efforts.

CenterPoint Energy Foundation ($1,000,000)
H-E-B ($1,000,000)
Sarofim Foundation ($1,000,000)
Calpine ($250,000)
NRG Energy ($250,000)
Quanta ($250,000)
Susan A. & Thomas S. Smith Foundation ($200,000)
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation ($150,000)
Dovetail Foundation ($100,000)
The Powell Foundation ($100,000)
Fidelity Charitable Catalyst Fund ($75,000)
JPMorgan Chase Foundation ($50,000)

NOV ($50,000)
Tellepsen Family Fund ($50,000)
Texas Mutual Foundation ($50,000)
William K. McGee Family Foundation ($50,000)
The Victor and Anna Mae Beghini Charitable Foundation ($30,000)
Christopher David Weekley Charitable Fund ($25,000)
Jeri and Marc Shapiro ($25,000)
Randa & K. C. Weiner ($25,000)
Shell (undisclosed amount)
Tenaska (undisclosed amount)
Wells Fargo (undisclosed amount)

Although the Beryl Recovery Fund is now closed, you can continue to make an impact by donating to the Greater Houston Disaster Alliance, which supports year-round disaster preparedness efforts, enabling us to swiftly help our neighbors recover from any future disasters.

Contact: Angel Harris, United Way of Greater Houston | Kevin Pickett, Greater Houston Community Foundation

Helping Vulnerable Populations

The Hurricane Beryl Recovery Fund will serve uninsured and underinsured low-to-moderate income families (ALICE population) affected across the City of Houston and Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery, and Waller counties, focusing on disproportionately impacted zip codes and vulnerable populations. As more data becomes available, we will continue to refine our funding strategy.

Round One Investments - July 31, 2024

The Greater Houston Disaster Alliance is investing $3.15 million in grants from its Hurricane Beryl Recovery Fund to help area neighbors who are struggling to recover from the July 8 storm. This first round of grants will support low-to-moderate income households with flexible emergency financial assistance to help defray the costs of crucial disaster recovery related expenses; provide navigation support for people accessing additional recovery services, such as FEMA and Small Business Administration (SBA) assistance; and provide targeted home repair assistance for the most severely impacted who face financial challenges covering repair costs.

A comprehensive analysis of zip codes was conducted using the above sources, identifying 47 unique zip codes across the City of Houston and surrounding counties, including Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery, and Waller. Among these, 19 zip codes have been designated as the most affected, as they consistently ranked at the top when evaluating three criteria: total need, proportional need, and total homes damaged.

Round Two Investments - August 21, 2024

The Greater Houston Disaster Alliance is investing an additional $1.5 million in grants from its Hurricane Beryl Recovery Fund to help area neighbors who are struggling to recover from the July 8 storm. Like the first round of grants, this set of investments will support low-to-moderate income households with flexible emergency financial assistance and targeted home repair assistance. This support aims to offset the costs of crucial disaster recovery related expenses and assist the most severely impacted who face financial challenges covering repair costs.

Help Seekers

Nonprofit Partners

NEED HELP? CONTACT:

Call the United Way 2-1-1 Helpline.

If you or someone you care for is Disabled, call/text the Disability & Disaster Hotline: 1.800.626.4959 (provided by The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies)

Report Damages

Complete the Connective Survey to connect to local resources and recovery organizations for the specific assistance you need.

Important Reminder

Greater Houston Disaster Alliance invited nonprofits that provide emergency financial assistance and resource navigation for populations in the hardest hit zip codes in our region to submit round 1 grant applications. There is a lengthy list of worthy and trusted organizations to consider, yet very limited resources. Many people and data sets representing several sectors were consulted at multiple decision points during the process, all with a goal to disburse vital resources as quickly as possible to the most vulnerable people in our four-county region. Check back regularly for additional information on any future rounds of funding that might be distributed.

QUESTIONS?

Sara Martinez at Greater Houston Community Foundation

Brooke Campbell at United Way for Greater Houston

MORE RESOURCES

Visit the For Nonprofits page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is involved in the Hurricane Beryl Recovery Fund and how was it formed?

In partnership with City and County leaders, and the Disaster Alliance’s Disaster Recovery Council, the decision to launch the Hurricane Beryl Recovery Fund was based on the significant number of households affected by severe weather and the hardships created on those families who were already struggling before disaster struck.

How will money raised by the Fund be used to help those affected by the storms?

The Hurricane Beryl Recovery Fund will serve uninsured or underinsured low-to-moderate income families (ALICE population) in the affected counties of Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, and Waller, focusing on disproportionately impacted zip codes and vulnerable populations. As more data becomes available, we will continue to refine our funding strategy.

What if I need help right now before funds are available?

We encourage you to call the 211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE to find out about available resources. 211 connects our neighbors with help 24/7/365 and is our community’s go-to resource in times of disaster. 211 can connect you with food, childcare, transportation, and other social services, critical information, and community resources.

Please understand that in times of disaster, there can be long wait times due to periods of heavy call volume. Assistance through 211 can also be accessed through the following methods:

Visit 211texas.org to search resources online or chat online with a specialist
Email help@unitedwayhouston.org

What if I live in another county that was affected by severe weather, how can I get help?

We encourage you to call the 211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE to be connected to available resources in your community.

My organization is interested in resources from the Greater Houston Disaster Alliance. Can we be considered?

Let’s get to know each other first!

Click here to fill out our interest form and we will follow up with you to share next steps.

Disaster Alliance resources for nonprofit partners typically support the immediate and long-term recovery of low-income and vulnerable households through a variety of disaster recovery services that are deployed based on the specific circumstances of each disaster.

Completing this form is not an application for or guarantee of funding, nor does it guarantee an invitation to join the Disaster Alliance’s nonprofit network.

Completing this form is the first step to get connected with Disaster Alliance resources that may become available in the future.

How are grant award amounts determined?

Grant amounts will be based on capacity, reach within disproportionately impacted communities, anticipated outputs/outcomes, alignment with service guidelines, and organizations that propose budgets that maximize direct resources to households and leverage other resources.

How do people get help?

Impacted households who meet the eligibility criteria can access emergency financial assistance starting on July 31. Home repair resources will be announced to the public on August 7. At that point, we will share eligibility requirements and how to apply for help.

Help seekers from Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery and Waller Counties should call the 211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE, a free, confidential helpline operating 24 hours a day. A helpline specialist will gather information on the caller’s specific situation and needs and provide direct contact information for local organizations that can best address those needs.

When connected with a nonprofit partner, a basic assessment will be conducted to identify primary needs that determine the amount of flexible emergency financial assistance provided.

Additionally, eligible households will be connected with a navigator to help guide them through available federal relief programs, such as FEMA and SBA, as well as other public and private programs for temporary housing, food, medical care and other support services.

Who can get help?

The main criteria for the distribution of funds is need – those uninsured and underinsured low-to-moderate income families, focusing on disproportionately impacted zip codes and vulnerable populations, using a data-driven approach.

Eligibility Criteria for Round One

Households impacted by Hurricane Beryl on July 8 and its aftermath

Reside in the City of Houston, Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, or Waller counties

Are low-to-moderate income, defined as 80% or under Area Median Income (AMI)

Reside in a zip code disproportionately impacted by the storm or are very low-income, defined as 50% or under AMI

Are uninsured or under-insured homeowners or renters

What are the affected areas?

The Disaster Alliance conducted a comprehensive zip code level analysis to identify the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Beryl, which drives our grantmaking strategy.

How will funds be distributed from the nonprofit to the person needing help?

Distribution methods are dependent on the nonprofit and their systems. Payments can be in the form of check, direct deposit, gift card, Venmo or Paypal.