On the ground in texas, responding to the devastating floods
July 23, 2025
On July 4, 2025, while most people were still asleep ahead of a day of national celebrations, intense rainfall through the night triggered a sudden and deadly flood in central Texas. Many were forced to make harrowing escapes only minutes after opening their eyes as waters from flooded rivers, especially along the Guadalupe River, rose 29 feet (nearly nine meters) in only 45 minutes.
Over two weeks on, and the human toll is devastating.
“The true weight of this disaster isn’t just in the damage to homes or landscapes,” shared All Hands and Hearts Chief Operating Officer, Mike Ball, from the ground. “It’s the overwhelming scale of loss, especially the loss of life, that defines the tragedy here.”
All Hands and Hearts is on the ground, responding.
We’re helping coordinate the volunteer reception center in Center Point, Texas, providing structure, sharing information and listening closely to identify unmet needs. As is often the case after disaster strikes, members of the community, many of whom were directly impacted, have stepped up to support the response and care for their community. Drawing on 20 years of disaster relief experience, our team is working alongside them to ease the burden.
Our teams also continue to work on multiple flood-damaged homes in the area, helping remove mud, debris and waterlogged materials so the cleanup, sanitation and rebuilding process can begin. Trained volunteers are working hand-in-hand with local residents to tackle this difficult work.
Getting to Work, One Home at a Time
LA’s home was among the first our teams entered in Kerr County. A longtime resident, he had built the house himself, crafting everything by hand, from the framework to the cabinets. It was a space filled with decades of memories shared with his wife, who passed away just last year. When the recent flooding hit, water, mud and debris rushed through, devastating the home they had built together.
Our team stepped in to support LA as he begins the path to recovery. We’ve completed debris and muck removal, carefully preserving treasured belongings along the way, including his wife’s wedding gown, handmade quilts and family photographs. With the home now cleared, we’re preparing to begin mold sanitation to help make the space safe for the rebuilding process ahead.
Providing Emergency Housing Through Partnership
Access to safe housing is one of the most immediate challenges following a disaster. We’re thankful to collaborate with Airbnb.org to help meet this critical need by offering temporary accommodations to families who are unable to return to their homes.
Skylyn and her family lost nearly everything when the flood struck. Through our partnership with Airbnb.org, they were able to move into a temporary residence while the long process of recovery unfolds.
This is only the beginning.
While the floodwaters have receded, the long road to recovery is only just beginning. With your support, our team is on the ground in Kerr County providing direct assistance to families impacted by the recent floods. We’ve already completed work on multiple homes: clearing debris, removing mud and water-damaged materials and helping residents take their first steps toward recovery.
As requests for assistance continue to come in, we’re expanding our reach to support even more homeowners in the coming weeks. Volunteers are being deployed daily to meet urgent needs, and we’re distributing fans to accelerate drying and prevent further damage. Next, we’ll begin mold sanitation to ensure homes are safe, clean and ready for families to return. We’re also working closely with homeowners to understand what they need to move back home and begin rebuilding their lives.
Every step of this process is guided by listening to the community and responding in meaningful, practical ways. We’re committed to remaining in Kerr County for as long as we’re needed to support long-term recovery. While every disaster is different, our guiding principle remains the same: we listen to community needs, collaborate with local partners and commit to long-term recovery. This measured approach ensures that the right help reaches the right people at the right time.
Your support makes this work possible. Please consider donating to help us continue providing critical relief to disaster-impacted communities. Together, we can make a difference.
Consider joining our community of Builders: our dedicated monthly donors who provide steady, reliable support, allowing us to arrive at a moment’s notice when disaster strikes and help communities recover and rebuild through the long term.
Thank you for standing with communities in their greatest time of need.
THE EARLY DAYS OF THE RESPONSE
JULY 12
We are drawing upon over 20 years of experience in emergency disaster response to provide our expertise in mucking, gutting and mold sanitation. At the request of the local donation and resource center, our team is fully mobilized in Center Point, spending long days in the field. We’ve been directed to approximately 30 flood-damaged homes in need of support, where we are working to stabilize and sanitize each one as access and capacity allow.
July 10, 2025
In the earliest moments of the crisis, we focused on fulfilling a critical need: emergency housing. Many families and entire communities have been displaced, sleeping in different homes night after night after their residences were submerged, some with young children and animals.
Through our long-standing partnership with Airbnb.org, we’ve already helped provide safe, temporary shelter to nearly 50 individuals and pets. This type of support in these critical early days allows families to rest and plan their next steps, focusing on what matters most in each unique situation as they begin to navigate a complex road ahead.
July 9, 2025
Search and rescue operations are still underway, and many communities are still in urgent need of support. Our Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DART) have been visiting homeowners along the Guadalupe River, seeing extensive damage in communities now unrecognizable from just days prior.
We’ve been working around the clock, clearing debris and preparing for the next phase of recovery by mucking and gutting homes, removing fallen trees and providing families with the emotional support to know they are not alone in this.
