Courtney Garrison, Hunt Store general manager, and her daughter were among those gifted with an RV during Saturday’s event in Kerrville.
KERRVILLE, Texas — Operation Texas Strong is rolling out hope one RV at a time to families who lost everything in the catastrophic Hill Country floods.
On Saturday in Kerrville, the nonprofit’s founder Bobby Crutsinger got to meet RV donors and flood survivors. He drove up from Weatherford with his family and friends where they set up shop at Gibson’s Discount Center, handing out a variety of essentials, including clothes, diapers and bags pet food.
“I wanted to show the community how much they’re loved and that we’re praying for everyone out here,” Crutsinger said.
Through Operation Texas Strong’s ‘Adopt a Family’ initiative, the nonprofit helped coordinate the delivery of six to seven RVs to people in need over the weekend, offering displaced residents not only a roof over their heads but a renewed sense of stability.
The nonprofit is receiving support from across Texas and the nation. One family drove down from Arizona with an RV after learning of Operation Texas Strong’s humanitarian mission.
Nicholas Panagiotou vividly remembers the chaos of July Fourth. Flash flooding destroyed everything he had just bought the day before his truck, RV and all of his belongings.
“Trucks, RVs, they were like dominoes packed up against each other against trees and people screaming,” he said.
Now, just over two weeks later, Panagiotou has found comfort and community thanks to a donated RV.
“I didn’t have much community here. Now I have a lifetime of family.”
Courtney Garrison and her daughter Stella, who manage the historic Hunt Store, spent terrifying hours on the rooftop of the building, waiting for floodwaters to recede.
“It was absolutely terrifying,” Garrison said.
Today, she and Stella are getting a fresh start. They’ve met their donors from Salado and are settling into their new RV thanks to a family from Salado. Garrison is filled with gratitude.
“The amount of outpour and love people have shown us, there’s really no words for it. It’s absolutely beautiful,” Garrison said.
Through every RV handed over and every hug shared, Operation Texas Strong is proving that even in disaster, compassion endures.
There’s currently a waitlist of more than 20 people who are requesting RVs through Operation Texas Strong. To help out, visit Operation Texas Strong’s Facebook page by visiting this link – https://www.facebook.com/OperationTexasStrong