Friday Favorites – Community

Here we are two Fridays after Hurricane Harvey struck the Texas coast and we are now watching the devastation Irma has stirred up so far. Praying for Florida and all of those islands already affected so heavily. As for Texas there is still so much recovery needed in the weeks and months to come it’s hard to grasp. While the rest of the world has moved on to the next big news event, there are some in Houston who have been displaced for an unknown amount of time. Schools which have been modified to accommodate two campuses in one location because so many schools were damaged that severely.  Major transportation routes still unable to be accessed leading to major commutes for those headed back to work.

We drove to Corpus Christi last Sunday to take Riley his truck since he moved it before the storm. I was shocked at how little the news covered some of the small communities we drove through. The town of Refugio was like a war zone with tents set up in parking lots and drive thru stations for water and other supplies. Apparently all services were still not available 9 days after the hurricane as the gas station had about 10 port-a-potties lined up along the side. The community of Bayside was equally as bad with houses completely leveled and I lost count of the number of utility poles down.

My little hometown probably saw flooding in 75% of the homes and so many of those people will not be covered by FEMA but also more than likely did not have flood insurance. Seeing people haul 40 years of memories to the curb really does pull at your heart strings.

Last week I shared some ways to offer help to those surviving a disaster. I’ve seen so many step up and thought I would share a few more. Sometimes I think we hesitate because we feel if we cannot make a financial impact we have nothing to offer but that is not always the case.

  • Offer to babysit while the adults work on flood recovery/repairs, insurance issues or just to have a moment to soak it all in.
  • Sit and assist with filing claims or FEMA paperwork online.  While you may not be an expert, I promise if you have not been directly impacted your brain will be less foggy than theirs and just bringing some calmness to the situation will help.
  • Bring a home cooked meal to a family who is housing evacuees.
  • Contact your local schools and ask if refugees from the storm have migrated to your area.  If you are within 200 miles of the affected areas the chances are high some have and you have the opportunity to help with school supplies.  Supplies may seem so simple but to a child who has already sustained the trauma of losing all their possessions and changing schools these supplies can give them some normalcy.
  • Volunteer at local shelters and get involved with your local community organizations.
  • Do laundry!
  • Hold a supply drive in your own community.

The biggest I think is not to forget about them!  This is not going to be a short term fix.  Many have lost their jobs simply because the business has been destroyed or shut down indefinitely.  They are displaced and trying to start over from scratch.  People will be proud but don’t let that stop you from helping anyway! Find ways to really, really love on these people.

You know what you have to gain?  New perspective, empathy, awareness of how much you may not appreciate the things you take for granted every single day.  I mean, I’m speaking for myself here because I was so irritated when I found out curbside grocery pickup had been temporarily suspended.  So spoiled when I should be grateful there are staples available if I walk into the store!

While not the way you would have seen this all come together, this is the chance to build community!

Last night Katy and I had the chance to hear Kristin Schell speak at a women’s event and if you haven’t heard her story of the Turquoise Table you should take a minute to check it out.  Building community with others before the storm builds trust and unity so we can stand together through all the storms in life.  My mind is racing with ideas of how to act on this concept!

We’re all in this together!  (and you get bonus points if you hear the High School Musical soundtrack when you read that!)

19 Comments

  1. I did think of HS Musical!! oh sweet friend, i am so sorry about the devastation to you sweet state. So glad you could go help, such a difficult time in our country right now. Feel so bad for people affected. I hope you can have a good weekend, continuing prayers for all!!

  2. First of all I am laughing out loud because, like you I have “suffered” for 2 weeks in a row with no curbside pick up at HEB. And I had to clean my own house the week of Harvey because the cleaning ladies couldn’t get there. So sad! :: We are spoiled aren’t we? And It’s bad in Houston, but all those areas around Corpus that were initially hurt are devastated and get no attention. I look around at all my “things” and am truly grasping how temporary they are. Praying for Florida.

    1. Girl…I had a little happy dance today when I noticed curbside pickup was back on! 🙂 It did make me realize how the “rest of us” have gotten back to live as usual while so many are still trying to figure out what the hell they are going to do next.

  3. Bonus points here!!!! Now I’m totally going to be singing that all day. I can not even imagine seeing all the devastation first hand, Shelly. It’s got to be so heart wrenching. It’s crazy how something like this can totally be so incredibly life altering. I sure hope we never have to endure it. Your sweet heart for all those people is just one of the many reasons I just love you to death and we’ve never even met. We’ve got to remedy that!!! Have a wonderful weekend. I just spent some time on the Target dress website…ordering to follow😉

  4. Thank you for your prayers. We are on pins and needles here, especially after seeing what Harvey did. I am far enough inland to where we won’t see major destruction, but they are saying that we will probably get 80 mph winds, torrnetial rains, flash flooding, possible tornadoes, and widespread power outages. We are praying that we don’t go through anything like what people in Houston are going through. It’s so terrifying.

  5. Our little map dot just sent a tractor trailer of baby supplies (diapers, wipes, formula, skin care) to the Houston area. In two weeks we’re sending the school system supplies. Every little bit.

  6. It’s so sad how so many were affected by the hurricane. I cannot imagine what they are going through but continuing to pray. Thank you for making us aware of the small towns who didn’t receive coverage!

    MeetTheShaneyfelts

  7. The devastation is hard to wrap my mind around. I live in Philadelphia but my mom and I were just saying this weekend, the rain ends and the storm blows away and the news coverage turns to regular stories and what happens to the people who lost everything? Do people still remember, send help, money, supplies, after the initial shock wears off? i hope so.

    1. So true Laura! Many, many lives have been changed for the long haul here in Texas and probably in Florida as well. Over half of my hometown was flooded and probably 80% of those people had not flood insurance and many no means to get back on their feet. It’s a super small community and I can only imagine the impact they are still feeling every single day while the rest of us have moved on to the next big news event. It was the first time I’ve seen so many I know affected so heavily and it has made a lasting impact on my heart.

  8. I think that Houston has gotten all the media attention, and all those coastal towns have been forgotten. Your tips on how to help are so good. I think the main thing to remember is that recovery is a marathon not a sprint. Long after the news coverage ends, people will still be trying to rebuild. I will never look at a disaster in the same way again. Another suggestion would be to be persistent in asking what people need. Most people (me!) don’t like to accept help, but after a few texts asking to help out, people will usually say “yes.”

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