Diocese of Texas Disaster Relief and Development 

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Check out our Blog at www.ikerelief.blogspot.com  for updates and email Luke Blount at volunteer@epicenter.org to be added to our monthly email newsletter list. You can find us on Facebook here. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ikerelief.

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Hurricane Ike

On the morning of September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike made landfall at 2:10 a.m. CDT over the east end of Galveston Island. By 4:00 p.m. waves were crashing over Galveston’s 17-foot-high seawall. Winds of up to 110 mph pummeled the city.

Lost in the midst of an economic crisis and an exciting presidential race, Hurricane Ike was often overlooked in the news, despite being one of the most devastating natural disasters in U.S. history. Damages to the U.S. coastline total over $24 billion , making Ike the third costliest hurricane in U.S. history behind Hurricane Katrina (2005) and Hurricane Andrew (1992).

Over 600,000 cubic yards of debris has been removed from the island since the storm. If all of it were piled on top of a football field, it would be a debris pile over 700 ft. high.

What We're Doing

Episcopal Disaster Relief and Development, in partnership with Galveston County Restore and Rebuild, is assisting the poor, elderly and disabled homeowners of Galveston County to rebuild their homes.

We have worked on over 130 homes in Galveston and La Porte, Texas and our volunteers have put in over 25,000 hours of work. That's roughly $500,000 worth of free labor. We have already completely repaired a dozen homes from bare studs on up, and those families have moved home. We gutted more than 80 homes and facilitated partial rebuilds on several more.

More than 1,500 volunteers have committed their precious time to help Galvestonians. Many stay at our housing base for up to a week, and some take a day trip to the island. Those who are unable to lend a hand also help us through much needed donations of tools, supplies, and money.

What Volunteers Need

No special skills are required. Everyone has an ability to help those in need.

Team leaders will need to fill out a Volunteer Intake Form found at www.epicenter.org/volunteer in order to reserve a spot.

Limited housing is at William Temple Center for a suggested donation of $10 per person/per day, and there are other housing options on the island.

Teams need their own transportation.

Teams will need to provide their own food, but will have the use of a full kitchen if staying at the William Temple Center.

For more information, visit our website or contact Luke Blount, Volunteer Coordinator, at volunteer@epicenter.org or by phone at 713.252.9693.

What We Need

Our efforts are dependent upon not only the priceless donation of time, but also of tools, vehicles, supplies, and gifts of money. All donations are tax deductible.

Contact Maggie Immler, Relief Coordinator, for donation inquiries at Maggie.Immler@gmail.com or by phone at 281.229.2467. 
Or click the link at the top of the page to donate.

Long Road to Rebuilding Galveston Begins

The Episcopal Hurricane Ike Response, in partnership with Galveston County Restore and Rebuild, has begun assisting the poor, elderly and disabled homeowners of Galveston County to rebuild their homes. A slow and expensive process, Episcopal Hurricane Ike Response needs donations and more volunteer trips in order to continue our commitment to the Galveston community.

Episcopal Hurricane Ike Response is working with eleven other faith-based recovery organizations renovating flood and storm damaged structures throughout Galveston County. All of these organizations target the neediest among us: the disabled, elderly and poor. Often, without our help, these families would never be able to repair their homes or be able to move back to the community they all love.

The first home we started rebuilding was that of "Ms. Sally," a woman in her mid nineties, who has lived in her Galveston home for nearly 60 years. Everyone in the neighborhood calls out greetings when she comes to see the progress of her home, and people stop by often to ask if we know how she is doing.

In October, a group of student volunteers from Pitzer College in California gutted the home, carefully packing salvageable mementos of her life and leaving the house a shell. Soon after, Ms. Sally and her niece applied for FEMA grants and insurance. Though they didn’t get much from FEMA and nothing from their homeowners insurance, they had enough to hire a contractor and begin the work.

After she paid the contractor the first payment, he demanded more money for the work before he would continue. Ultimately, he took most of Ms. Sally’s FEMA money and disappeared.

Her niece called us and asked for help. We are beginning to lay her floors, hang doors and get the house ready for Ms. Sally to move home. There is nothing more gratifying for me or our wonderful volunteers than seeing her joy when she comes to see the progress we are making.

There are thousands of people like Ms. Sally in Galveston, and they need our help, prayers and love. Please volunteer click here or donate click here.

Immler is the diocesan relief coordinator in Galveston, 281.229.2467.

Ed. Note: Volunteers meet daily at the Wm. Temple Center near UTMB on Galveston’s east end to receive their assignments. Immler offices there and coordinates gutting and rebuilding efforts with Episcopal groups and others. Click here to volunteer. Donations may be made by credit card on the diocesan Web site www.epicenter.org or sent to: Hurricane Ike Relief, The Episcopal Diocese of Texas, 1225 Texas Ave., Houston, TX 77002. Gift cards at Home Depot or Walmart are also appreciated.

Volunteers Vital to Rebuilding Efforts After Ike

Galveston is Short On Volunteers

Update, as of 11/24/08

More than 40 homes have been cleaned out, gutted and made ready for inspections, mold remediation, and then rebuilding. More than 150 Episcopal volunteers mostly from Houston-area Episcopal churches have participated in this effort.
The diocese is partnering with Americorps volunteers who are officing on the Island and who have a database of homes that are assessed and need cleaning out. Volunteers arrive by 8:30 a.m. (M-Sat) at the William Temple Center next to the UTMB campus and are assigned from there to help homeowners. Volunteers should be self-sufficient, with their own water, lunch and tools. A respite center, staffed with clergy and lay chaplains is also up and running at 29th and Broadway. See contact numbers at right.

The diocese is participating in the formation of a Galveston County Long-Term Recovery Committee. The committee is composed of constituent communities representing construction, foundations, faith-based relief organizations for volunteer coordination and disaster case management and advocacy.

Immediate needs

Grace Episcopal Church

• Bibles
• new cribs with sheets
• Rocking chair (new or in excellent condition)
• Changing table (new or in excellent condition)
• Rug (new or in excellent condition)
• Books to replace the entire children’s library (Children’s Bible story books)

San Augustine Episcopal Church

• Bibles
• Tables and chairs for younger children
• Tables and chairs for older youth and adults
• Shelves - kid friendly size and some regular sized shelves

Trinity Episcopal Church

• Godly Play stories - Children’s Bible stories
• Garment racks on wheels - heavy duty to hold heavy vestments
• Zippered garment bags
• Monetary donations for books, nursery toys and manipulatives for classrooms

Click here for list of damages to our churches.  

Clergy Conference Disaster and Recovery Presentation - Presented by
The Rev. Bill Livingston

Cleanup efforts for historic Galveston churches underway 

               
Bishop Views Ike Response

Bishop Don Wimberly inspected Episcopal churches and institutions on Galveston Island on October 15 and met with those who are coordinating volunteer recovery efforts.

"The devastation, even though much has been cleared away, is just heartbreaking," Bishop Wimberly said. "We have great leadership in Galveston and I am grateful to the Rev. Doug Tucker and Kathy Hill for their help in working with volunteers who come to help our members and the community recover," he added.

Bishop Wimberly saw construction work at Trinity Episcopal School, which reopened October 20 with nearly 75 percent of their student body. The school suffered major water damage as did Trinity Church.

The Rev. Lillian Hyde, assistant rector at Trinity, Galveston, is leading an effort to establish a respite center in the 2900 block of Broadway to be staffed with trained chaplains, both lay and ordained, to care for people helping with the recovery effort, people who suffered, losses and people who just need to talk. If you are trained and interested in assisting with this effort, please contact Erin McClure at 713.520.6444.

Click here to help support recovery efforts in the Galveston and Gulf Coast area. There are nearly three dozen Episcopal Churches directly affected by Hurricane Ike and many parishioners still need help. The diocese is committed to assisting in this ministry of recovery. The Episcopal Church: Here to Help.

Galveston’s Trinity Episcopal Church Returns Home

Galveston’s Trinity Church was able to worship in their historic church building for worship November 16, nearly two months after Hurricane Ike. The buildings, some dating to 1857, were seriously damaged by rising water during the hurricane. Since the storm, the congregation has been worshiping at St. George’s, Texas City and at William Temple Episcopal Center in Galveston. Remediation and restoration efforts reached a point in November where the congregation could return. Visit the website, www.trinitygalv.org for additional information.

The two other Episcopal Church’s in Galveston, Grace and San Augustine of Hippo, also received extensive damage but were able to remain on their campuses for worship.

Return to the Basics in Disaster

On Sunday, eight days after hurricane Ike, in a church far, far away from the coast, a little boy was working through the story of Noah’s Ark in a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd class. It occurred to him that perhaps Hurricane Ike had been sent by God to punish people. The classroom teacher quickly worked with him to help him understand that God had not punished people through the storm. 

A few days later we sat in the midst of 24 clergy from across the coastal region of the Diocese of Texas…the hardest hit. We listened and prayed together. They shared their experiences, their anger, their frustration and most of all their hope for the future. They shared their hope for how the people of our churches could reach out in this time when so many have lost so much.

Later that afternoon we sat on the phone with Barbara Karkabi, a reporter with the Houston Chronicle, and were asked, “What do you say to people in so much pain? How do you deal with feelings that God did this or allowed this to happen? What Bible passage comes to you? Read more here.

September 19, 2008

Bishop’s Video

Bishop Don Wimberly has taped his fourth video for the diocese and it is available through Youtube (search for “Bishop Wimberly”) or on the diocesan website. He made a presentation to the House of Bishops, meeting in Salt Lake City this week, regarding the diocese’s response to Hurricane Ike. Our bishops cancelled their plans to attend this meeting to be present in the diocese at this critical time.

Galveston Residents Worship in Austin/Houston

Galveston residents who have evacuated to the Austin and Houston areas are invited to worship together this Sunday at St. Matthew’s, Austin, and Christ Church Cathedral, Houston. The Rev. Merrill Wade, rector of St. Matthew's, Austin, has invited us all to worship together with his flock at 10:30 a.m. this Sunday.  The Revs. Paul Wehner and Ron Pogue will be in the service.  St. Matthew's Church is located at 8134 Mesa Dr., Austin, Texas 78759. Phone (512) 345-8314. 

Cathedral Dean Joe Reynolds has invited evacuees in the Houston area to worship together at Christ Church Cathedral at the 9:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. services.  The Rev. David Dearman, head of Trinity Episcopal School, Galveston will be assisting in the services this Sunday.  Christ Church Cathedral is located at 1117 Texas Avenue, Houston, Texas 77002.  Phone (713) 222-2593.  Please pass the word!

Church Insurance

Church Insurance representatives are currently in Houston assessing damage. If you have damage, please register your claim immediately so they can include it in their inspections and begin remediation as soon as possible. 800.223.5705. They will need your policy number, location and extent of damage, your contact information and any immediate needs you may have.  

Grants received

The Diocese has received $25,000 from Episcopal Relief and Development for immediate needs and a $125,000 grant from the St. Luke's Episcopal Health Charities (Community Recovery Assistance Fund).  St. Luke's Episcopal Health Charities has begun a ground level assessment, working with grantees, community members, funders, collaborative partners and City and County government.  This research and data gathered will help inform grant making. This research also prepares The Charities to address the most severe needs expressed by the community. Updates will be posted on The Charities website.

September 17, 2008

The Diocesan Office in Houston is open and the crisis communication team continues to meet daily to update the assessment of damages to our church family following Hurricane Ike. Bishop Don Wimberly has several recorded messages online and is touching base with all our clergy in the affected areas.

Bob Biehl is working with Church Insurance, whose representatives are on the ground and beginning their evaluations.   If you have damage to the church’s buildings, you must file a claim with Church Insurance at: 800.223.5705. They will need your policy number, location and extent of damage and your contact information. 

Sally Rutherford is working with VOAD on emergency response to communities: Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD). While we have had many offers of help, the affected areas are without water, gasoline and electricity and mission teams at this point would further tax local resources.  We will need these volunteer teams in the future and will maintain a list of those who have offered. 

We are working to get our churches working so they can hold worship services in the affected areas this Sunday. While this may not be possible in Galveston, it is important to bring people together. The bishop’s priority is the pastoral care of our clergy and through them the members of our churches and their communities. This will be a long term event that will not disappear when the debris is picked up.

The Christian Formation Conference this weekend at Camp Allen is still scheduled as is the national Young Adult Gathering at the Hilton in Houston. The Soulfood Recovery Conference, Website Seminar and Diocesan Art Show and Sale have been postponed. 

The Diocese has received $25,000 from Episcopal Relief and Development for immediate needs and a $125,000 grant from the St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities (Community Recovery Assistance Fund). Eligibility will be the same as current grantees (see www.slehc.com for guidelines).

St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital is in need of blood and platelets. Please donate at the following locations in the Houston area:

Friday-      Palmer Memorial, 6221 Main Street,  Houston  10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunday-   St. Aidan's, 13131 Fry Road, Cypress  beginning at 10:15 a.m.

                  Emmanuel, 15015 Memorial Dr, corner of Memorial Dr and Eldridge Pkwy, 9 a.m. - 1:30

Send updates to a cbarnwell@epicenter.org or a text message to 713.703.6385. Donations may be sent to the diocesan Center at 1225 Texas Ave., Houston, TX 77002 marked Hurricane Ike Relief. 

Click here to view the diocesan Emergency Response Plan, list of diocesan personnel contacts and disaster response checklist.

September 16, 2008

Bishop Don Wimberly and Bishops Rayford High and Dena Harrison are contacting all clergy in affected areas in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Ike to provide pastoral care and to assess damages. As of Tuesday, we have determined that there is minimal damage to many of our churches in the storm's path (relatively speaking-trees down, water damage). Click here for list of damages to our churches.

Churches and institutions on Galveston Island were hard hit and the damages are more critical. St. Vincent's House took on at least five feet of water and Trinity School was flooded. But we believe that all clergy and staff are safe and have relocated for the time being.

Houston is not a center for evacuees (as it was after Katrina and Rita) because of the lack of power and gasoline. Volunteers and donations of goods are being coordinated by Sally Rutherford, Outreach Missioner for the diocese, through Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD). VOAD is a compilation of many national relief agencies and the local Interfaith Ministries.

Diocesan officials are assessing damages to our churches and checking with all clergy in affected areas to determine immediate needs. For insurance issues contact Bob Biehl or David Fisher. Church Insurance representatives are en route and will be reviewing damages beginning Tuesday, Sept 16.

St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital is in need of blood donations, especially O positive and platelet's. There will be a bloodmobile at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church, 6221 S. Main, north lot, on Friday, September 19 from 10 a.m. until 4. p.m. If you are outside Houston and your church would like to organize a blood drive or give locally designating St. Luke's as the recipient, please contact the Rev. Gary Jones, director of chaplaincy services at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital 832.355.1000.

The Diocese of Texas has set up a special fund to collect donations for response to Hurricane Ike in the diocese. Please see donation form above "Donate Now" or send a check to: EDOT, 1225 Texas Ave., Houston, TX 77002 marked Hurricane Ike Relief.