Back in 2017, when Hurricane Harvey slammed into the Texas coastline, millions across the state were left stranded- without homes, without food, and without their belongings.
And while the damage was immediately apparent in the coastal city of Corpus Christi, other cities like Houston, Galveston, and Beaumont wouldn’t know the extent of the damage Harvey caused for weeks, and in some cases, months.
In Silsbee, Texas, a rural town located about 20 miles from Beaumont, floodwaters from Harvey wreaked havoc on the town’s nearly 7,000 residents. Similar to Houston, Silsbee was pounded by the bands of remorseless rain Harvey dumped across East Texas.
With one in every five Silsbee homes flooded by Harvey, lower socio-economic residents who were already struggling financially were put into a position that felt impossible to get out of. Needing to repair not only their homes but their wells and septic systems as well, coming up with the means to pay for it all was a daunting task.
For Nadine Ford, losing her home to Harvey meant more than just losing a roof to sleep under. Not only was Nadine elderly, but she also had several major medical conditions and was on a fixed income. For months Nadine lived with various family members and slept in her car until she was able to secure funds to rent a place to live. When those funds came through from FEMA, Nadine was able to rent a motel, although within a short time the funds ran out and she was told she could no longer live there, either.
With nowhere to go, Nadine, with the help of her daughter, reached out for help. Through Harvest Call/ I Connect, Nadine’s case was picked up by the Endeavors disaster case management team. That’s when things started to turn around. After a year and a half, Nadine would finally be able to return “home.” But it wouldn’t be the one she left as Harvey flooded its interior, it would be a brand new one, built from the ground up to replace the one that was a total loss.
Though Nadine is grateful for her new home, it is perhaps us who are more grateful for the opportunity to help. Knowing that it is because of people helping people that we become stronger together, it is our greatest honor to be able to help those in need.
You can help those still recovering from Hurricane by donating to Endeavors. When you support Endeavors, you have a direct impact on the lives of people. With the support of our donors, we are able to touch the lives of more than 18,000 people each year. One replaced roof, one refurbished home, and recovery story at a time, Endeavors is continually working to provide long-term, sustainable recovery.
About Endeavors
Endeavors is a longstanding national nonprofit that provides an array of programs and services in support of children, families, Veterans, and those struggling with mental illness and other disabilities. Endeavors serves vulnerable people in crisis through innovative personalized services. For more information, please visit www.endeavors.org.