Hurricane Harvey Flooded Our Home
Hurricane Harvey flooded our home (Kevin and Katie Read in Katy, TX) early on the morning of Tuesday, August 29. The water level in the neighborhood was dependant on the Barker Reservoir and the city has been controlling its release to prevent flooding downstream. Because of the slow release we were not able to reach the home with a vehicle until yesterday Wednesday, September 6. The home was without power for just over 8 days. Mold has begun to spread throughout the house. Everything that touched the water will need to be discarded - furniture, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, doors, sheetrock, insulation, baseboards, carpet and flooring. Additional demolition is needed to get all of the water out, for instance behind the stairs, behind bathtubs, etc. The entire house will need to be disinfected before any restoration work. During this time we will be without a home and are currently on our second temporary living arrangements.
Our two children, aged 2 and 10, are now living far away with relatives and we cannot see them. We have not been able to find housing through FEMA or local churches, so may need to move back into the house before it becomes safe. Since the kitchen has to be gutted we won't be able to cook. We need some money to buy food, building materials, and to pay for construction labor. Anything would be greatly appreciated. We also need manpower for demolition, clean up, and restoration. The sooner the home is livable and safe the sooner our children will be able to return.
