I was in Las Vegas as Hurricane Harvey was making its landfall, devastating Corpus Christi and Houston and a host of other small beach towns that I had been to. I tear up when I see the footage still and think about the little seaside shacks outside Corpus selling goods that are there no more.
When I was a student at UT-Austin, Katrina battered New Orleans, and then weeks later, refugee college students from Louisiana were being welcomed into our classes. I remember the face of one young man in particular, in our geology class, who had been through a lot. During college, I worked at Texas’ largest grocery chain and suddenly we had new co-workers of all ages, all from New Orleans, trying to make the best of a bad set of circumstances.
Devastated areas need support long after the rain stops and the winds stop howling. Please keep that in mind as you give to relieve the destruction wrought by Hurricane Harvey. Vet charities well. I recommend Charity Navigator, and this article from Business Insider also helps. I personally gave to the Food Bank of Corpus Christi and intend to give more. People will need housing, jobs and most importantly, hope, to move forward. Texas and Texans are resilient and right now, many need hope more than anything.
I am reminded of the words of “Texas our Texas”
God bless, you Texas, and keep you brave and strong…
Kristin West 