Our Wharton, TX Harvey Fund
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Wharton Co, TX – Our Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund
Hi Everyone,
As you may know, McKay, and a team of construction workers from Brooklyn, have gone down to Wharton, Texas, to help rebuild the community where his family has long had roots. McKay has pledged his time and $$ to the rebuilding effort, but has found that the people he is helping have many needs beyond labor and construction. We are starting this GoFundMe so that McKay can buy generators, ACs, refrigerators, appliances, sheds/tents (to protect their salvaged belongings from the elements,) etc., for people who have literally lost everything in the massive flooding from Hurricane Harvey. Any amount you can give will go directly towards this effort. I will keep you updated on what McKay is able to purchase and donate and the progress they are making. The more we raise, the more people he can help.
A little background:
The extended Duncan Family has operated a cattle ranch and farm in Egypt, TX for well over 100 years. Egypt is a very small community outside of the very small town of Wharton, about 90 miles southwest of Houston. The Duncan property was largely unscathed, but the surrounding areas were devastated by the historic flooding. The Lower Colorado River crested at 51.9 feet, about 20 feet over flood stage. For comparison, the river right now is at 10 feet! About 1400 homes were flooded and close to 200 businesses were damaged. Rural Wharton County has pockets of extreme poverty and was one of the hardest hit areas outside of Houston. Many of the people in this community have little in the way of resources or options.
So far, McKay and the guys have mostly been 'mucking out' (pulling out all of the wet stuff) and doing demo, as the rebuilding process is slow to start after a major flood. They are coordinating with local churches to identify homes in need, and then are working directly with the residents to solve specific problems. He is getting to know the residents personally and has ‘adopted’ a small lane outside of the town where homes and trailers were decimated. A lot of the people displaced by the floods are now in temporary housing (motels) with FEMA vouchers, but when the vouchers run out, many of those people will have no choice but to return to their damaged homes, even if they are beyond salvage. He has gotten to know the residents personally. They are mostly older people living alone, who have lost everything. As we learned with Sandy, FEMA money is slow to come and does not go far. The situation is quite desperate for some of these folks and McKay has been stunned and humbled by their tragic circumstances.
Contributing to this GoFundMe is a way to directly help a person impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Thank you for your consideration and please also remember those affected by Hurricane Maria.
xo, Hillary
PS. If you are interested in making a larger, tax deductible donation, McKay is receiving funds for the rebuilding effort, beyond what he has pledged, through a family non-profit. Get in touch!
Hi Everyone,
As you may know, McKay, and a team of construction workers from Brooklyn, have gone down to Wharton, Texas, to help rebuild the community where his family has long had roots. McKay has pledged his time and $$ to the rebuilding effort, but has found that the people he is helping have many needs beyond labor and construction. We are starting this GoFundMe so that McKay can buy generators, ACs, refrigerators, appliances, sheds/tents (to protect their salvaged belongings from the elements,) etc., for people who have literally lost everything in the massive flooding from Hurricane Harvey. Any amount you can give will go directly towards this effort. I will keep you updated on what McKay is able to purchase and donate and the progress they are making. The more we raise, the more people he can help.
A little background:
The extended Duncan Family has operated a cattle ranch and farm in Egypt, TX for well over 100 years. Egypt is a very small community outside of the very small town of Wharton, about 90 miles southwest of Houston. The Duncan property was largely unscathed, but the surrounding areas were devastated by the historic flooding. The Lower Colorado River crested at 51.9 feet, about 20 feet over flood stage. For comparison, the river right now is at 10 feet! About 1400 homes were flooded and close to 200 businesses were damaged. Rural Wharton County has pockets of extreme poverty and was one of the hardest hit areas outside of Houston. Many of the people in this community have little in the way of resources or options.
So far, McKay and the guys have mostly been 'mucking out' (pulling out all of the wet stuff) and doing demo, as the rebuilding process is slow to start after a major flood. They are coordinating with local churches to identify homes in need, and then are working directly with the residents to solve specific problems. He is getting to know the residents personally and has ‘adopted’ a small lane outside of the town where homes and trailers were decimated. A lot of the people displaced by the floods are now in temporary housing (motels) with FEMA vouchers, but when the vouchers run out, many of those people will have no choice but to return to their damaged homes, even if they are beyond salvage. He has gotten to know the residents personally. They are mostly older people living alone, who have lost everything. As we learned with Sandy, FEMA money is slow to come and does not go far. The situation is quite desperate for some of these folks and McKay has been stunned and humbled by their tragic circumstances.
Contributing to this GoFundMe is a way to directly help a person impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Thank you for your consideration and please also remember those affected by Hurricane Maria.
xo, Hillary
PS. If you are interested in making a larger, tax deductible donation, McKay is receiving funds for the rebuilding effort, beyond what he has pledged, through a family non-profit. Get in touch!
Organizer
Hillary Ellison
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY
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