MARCH 25, 2021 [WOODSBORO, TEXAS] Tierra de Esperanza, a joint community project, welcomed 13 families to their brand-new homes during a home dedication ceremony. This project has been made possible by the efforts from the Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group (CBDRG), Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi Inc., Center for Disaster Philanthropy, Disaster Aid of Ohio, Mennonite Disaster Service, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Rebuild Texas, Refugio County Community Development Foundation, the Town of Woodsboro, and many others.
These 13 homes, out of a total of 23, represent the completed Phase 1 of the Tierra de Esperanza community project in Woodsboro, Texas. This neighborhood resides on 3.6 acres and the project’s partners committed a combined $2.3 million to build these brand-new homes. Project representatives are hopeful that it will have a positive effect in the community while supporting families in need since Hurricane Harvey.
Two floor plans are used for the homes, depending on the homeowners’ family size and needs: two-bedroom, one bath or three-bedroom, two baths. Each home is windstorm certified and includes energy-efficient central HVAC, refrigerator, stoves, ceiling fans, and laminate flooring throughout. These homes will provide relief to the families who have been in need since the storm and bringing improvements that will benefit the City and County as well.
The coronavirus pandemic has had many impacts on local communities and businesses, including construction and volunteer efforts for Tierra de Esperanza. However, the Mennonite Disaster Service and Disaster Aid Ohio stepped up to the plate by traveling to Texas and taking on the construction of 23 homes for this project. Kevin King, executive director of MDS, was able to come down from Pennsylvania and meet the new homeowners during today’s ceremony. “Martin Luther King, Jr. once said in his I Have a Dream speech ‘With this faith we will be able to hew out of this mountain of despair a stone of hope.’ I think back to that as we move 13 people into this land of hope,” King shared.
“It takes an army of willing souls and God’s many blessings to make a miracle like this happen,” expressed Donna Rosson, CBDRG board president. “So many of you call this place home and we are so happy to welcome you back.”
For the past three years, CBDRG, in partnership with several non-profits, has continued to assist vulnerable families across the Coastal Bend recovering from Hurricane Harvey. The work is made possible thanks to the generous donors and hardworking volunteers. CBDRG continues to seek volunteers, who range from skilled laborers to general help, and donations for recovery efforts. To learn more about CBDRG, visit www.coastalbenddrg.org.
ABOUT COASTAL BEND DISASTER RECOVERY GROUP
The Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group (CBDRG) is a volunteer-based coalition created to address the unmet needs of Coastal Bend area residents affected by disaster. CBDRG is a State/FEMA recognized long-term recovery organization and is registered with the State of Texas as a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation as authorized by the IRS. Established in 2015, CBDRG was formed to continuously coordinate long-term disaster recovery within the eleven-county region of the Texas Coastal Bend (Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Duval, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, San Patricio, and Refugio) for current and future disasters.
Volunteer groups and individuals can sign up to join our efforts at our website www.coastalbenddrg.org/volunteer or email volunteers4cbdrg@gmail.com.