Donors have reportedly given money by phone, mail, online and in-person.
SAN ANTONIO — 8 days after the devastating floods hit the Hill Country, over $30 million has been donated to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund, in the hopes of rebuilding the community to its former glory.
Austin Dixon, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country announced they will be dispersing around $5 million in grants on Friday to more than 20 nonprofits that have had their boots on the ground since day one.
These grants includes $1.25 million that will each be given to local businesses, first responders and crisis response entities. $450,000 will also be granted to Shriner University who transformed a part of their campus into am emergency center, offering food, housing and reuniting families.
Dixon, a Kerrville resident himself, says the damage to the area is unimaginable but rebuilding is possible thanks to the philanthropic efforts from not only locals and Texans but from people and organizations around the nation.
“People have lost family members, children, pets, homes, livelihoods, vehicles, personal property, everything. It boggles the mind,” he said. “We will persevere.”
Dixon said the foundation typically gives grants to nonprofits and scholarships to students but on the morning of July 4, after witnessing the crisis in their community they created the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund – now their main mission forward.
The millions of raised charitable dollars have reportedly come from within the community, from across the state and all around the world in response to the floods. Donors have given money by phone, through the mail, online and in-person.
Dixon thanked local corporations like H-E-B who donated $2 million, James Avery who donated $500,000, Broadway Bank, the San Antonio Area Foundation, the Austin Community Foundation, along with several others.
“This is only the beginning. This community, this region and this state is not ready for the power of philanthropy that is coming to this town. We are going to do so much good because we are from Texas and Texans step up and we handle it,” Dixon said.
Later Dixon stated that one of the most important stories was about a local high school student, who was helping during the Fourth of July weekend at the Arcadia Live, which was turned into a reunification center for campers and their families.
As the student was working, a stranger tipped them $40. The student then walked to the Community Foundation with two $20 bills and told them “I’d like to donate this to the flood relief fund.”
“That was the first donation into these grants,” Dixon said tearfully.
Congressman Chip Roy, Chairman of James Avery, Chris Avery, Lift Fund President Amy Hereford and several representatives from local corporations attended the event thanking the foundation for their hard work and dedication to the cause.
A full list of nonprofits receiving grants can be found here.