Fourth of July weekend is usually a day of celebration and relaxation for most people, but for the people of the Texas Hill Country, this year was anything but that after a devastating flood ravaged through the heart of Central Texas, causing an unfortunate amount of damage to the surrounding communities.
As Central Texas looks to recover from the events, they have not been left alone, as the state of Texas has rallied around the communities, offering aid of any kind. The Houston Cougars have been involved in disaster relief, hosting a supply drive in July, and recently transported what was collected for the second wave of support following the initial response from the community, and partnered with Mattress Mack to transport the supplies to those affected.
"The City of Houston and Houston fans showed the power of our community after the catastrophic events in Central Texas over the Fourth of July weekend by donating 18 pallets worth of supplies for those affected," Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Eddie Nuñez said. "I cannot thank our fans and supporters for their generous donations to this cause. Thank you to Mattress Mack for helping transport what we were able to collect to those impacted."
The city of Houston and the Cougar community came together to donate 18 pallets (two box trucks) worth of water, batteries, cleaning supplies, and non-perishable food items for the victims.
"We made the concerted effort to send the supplies to support the second wave of needs in the area," Nuñez said. "Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the families, loved ones and friends of those lost, as well as with the people of Kerr County and beyond impacted by the floods."
Houston was not the only one to help out; several other Texas universities have gotten involved to help those who were affected by the floods.
Texas A&M has several specialized care and response teams offering “boots on the ground” support, to fundraising activities that provide financial assistance, and to experts working to provide clarity on topics related to natural disasters. From aiding in the recovery efforts to having the water in the affected areas screened for any bacteria.
Baylor provided disaster relief kits packed through their BearAid program, which is Baylor's disaster relief team of students, faculty, and staff, and provided numerous charity organizations where people could donate.
Texas State contacted students in the affected areas, offering any help, whether financially or academically, and offered equipment and resources to assist with search, rescue, and cleanup efforts.
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