Situation Report: Hurricane Harvey


August 26, 2017

Situation

Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Corpus Christi, Texas, on Friday, August 25 as a Category 4 storm with 130 mile per hour winds. The storm is ongoing and slow moving, so the extent of the damage is still unknown. The New York Times is reporting “heavy building damage in Port Aransas and in Rockport…with shredded trees and blown-off roofs. About 250,000 customers were without power statewide, a number likely to grow.”

Response

CWS is in the initial assessment phase of our response. Emergency Response Specialists are working with the National VOAD –  Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster – as well as the state VOAD in Texas as they monitor the damage from the storm. We are coordinating with local partners in the Corpus Christi area to determine their needs. A potential response would likely include small grants and other support for recovery efforts, particularly for vulnerable communities and groups including immigrants and refugees. 

CWS Hygiene Kits and Emergency Cleanup Buckets will be available to local organizations responding to the storm upon request. Hurricane Harvey appeal funds will help cover the costs of processing and shipping these supplies. 

A full appeal will be issued as initial assessments are completed and more information becomes available.

How to Help

Contributions to support CWS response to Hurricane Harvey may be sent to your denomination or to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515 (please designate Hurricane Harvey). Donations may also be made online at cwsglobal.org/Harvey.