How to Help Victims of Texas Floods

Thousands of people have lost their homes, businesses and jobs, in the devastation flash flooding which ripped through Central Texas on July 4th, killing more than 100 people.

Central Texas Flood Relief poster_evelynkanter — Courtesy Communities for Texas

Reminder to choose one of these local or national charities to support with a donation to help victims with life-saving food, water, clothing and medical services, and start the rebuilding, including roads and power lines.

Some organizations support the first responders and other volunteers working long days searching for more than 100 people still missing.

Before you donate, beware of scams. The bad guys come out of the woodwork at times like this, to take advantage of good guys who want to help.

Be especially wary of GoFundMe and Venmo scams.

GoFundMe has compiled donation pages for verified individual victims.

Before you donate, check the organization for financial performance and effectiveness from Charity Navigator, my go-to charity rating service. Anything with less than a four-star rating (out of five) should avoided.

Top National Charities

My first choice always is World Central Kitchen, which provides food and water to both victims and first responders in disaster areas. WCF has provided millions of meals around the world, from Ukraine to Uvalde.

Donate here.

Mercy Chefs is sending a team to the Hill Country to provide meals to first responders and volunteers working in search and rescue efforts.

Donate here.

International Medical Corps is providing health facilities in Kerrville and the surrounding areas with medical supplies that will help these facilities remain operational and ensure that patients receive lifesaving services, and stands ready to send medical and mental health volunteers if requested.

Donate at the link.

Americares a health-focused relief and development organization, is providing medicines, medical supplies and other humanitarian aid.

Team Rubicon is a California-based, veteran-led disaster relief nonprofit with boots on the ground in Central Texas.

Good360 is a Virginia-based group whose disaster response team is on the ground in Texas and is accepting donations for flood victims. All donations go towards purchasing cleanup kits, bottled water and hygiene supplies, diapers, wipes, fans, clothing for victims and more.

Direct Relief is providing essential medications and supplies to Central Texas to support patients and communities impacted by the flooding.

Habitat for Humanity builds houses for the needy – it was a favorite charity of the late President Jimmy Carter and his wife. . You can also donate a car for a family which lost to flooding.

Charity Navigator has an additional list of four-star non-profits to consider.

Local Charities

GoFundMe has compiled donation pages for verified individual victims.

Fundraisers vary from covering funeral costs to donating in the effort to rebuild homes filled with water after the floods.

The Center Point Volunteer Fire Department is accepting online donations through its Venmo account.

Note that the organization briefly took it down, saying scammers were impersonating it.
When donating to the fire department, look for the username CPVFDTX.

The long-established Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country launched The Kerr County Flood Relief Fund, to support rescue and rebuilding efforts.

Texas Firewalkers aids families displaced by residential fires and supports first responder incidents, is raising money to serve hot meals and deliver essential supplies to flood victims.

The Salvation Army’s Kerrville Kroc Center asked for non-perishables, hygiene items, bleach, diapers and other items.

Donations can be dropped off at 855 Hays Street in Kerrville, Tex.)

Texsar, a volunteer-based search and rescue organization, has deployed swiftwater rescue teams, search dogs, boats, and drones to the Hill Country. It hopes to raise at least $100,000 toward the cost of that.

Donate here.to the flood-hit area.

Austin Pets Alive!, has taken in more than 150 displaced pets from the floods, needs money and pet supplies along with foster pet parents to take in homeless animals.

D Magazine has a list of local churches seeking donations.

More Charity Choices

The Uvalde Foundation for Kids is also collecting donations for flood victims and will use the funds raised for supplies and search and recovery efforts. “Donations will be vetted by the foundation board and immediately distributed to those with proven illustrated need,” the organization’s website says. Choose “Kerr County, Texas Flooding Relief” on the donation form. Donate here.

You can help barbecue pitmasters donate their time and efforts in Operation BBQ Relief. The nonprofit will send a team to feed those affected by the flooding. Donate here.

The American Red Cross has opened two reunification centers for families and loved ones, as well as several emergency shelters for those seeking refuge, but reportedly is not taking donations specifically for the Texas disaster, according to a social media post.

Donate at Your Supermarket

United Family which includes United Supermarkets, Albertsons Market, Market Street, and Amigos, is launching a donate-at-the-register campaign for Central Texas flood relief. All proceeds will go to support relief efforts by the San Angelo Area Foundation and Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, the “Kerr County Flood Relief Fund.”

Shoppers can add any dollar amount to their grocery bill at check-out to donate or donate online via PayPal.

Tom Thumb and Albertsons

Shoppers can donate in-store at checkout or online.

H-E-B is giving away free recovery kits, including water, snacks, first aid kits, cleaning supplies and gift cards, among other things.

Shoppers can donate in-store at checkout or online.

This is an updated and localized version of our other recent articles on supporting survivors of other recent natural disasters – too many disasters.

How to help victims of the Los Angeles wildfires
How to help victims of Maui wildfires
How to help victims of Hurricane Idalia
How to help victims of Syria/Turkey earthquake

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is an award-winning journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.