August 22, 2019
Lutheran Social Services – A ministry of Upbring
Before Hurricane Harvey, Mrs. Carabajal, a lifetime resident of Rockport, Texas and her disabled husband were living in their mobile home without any issues. In preparation for the storm, they evacuated to Longview, Texas and returned home approximately one week later to find devastation.
Wind and rain from Hurricane Harvey had torn off a portion of the roof of their home, damaged the interior of the home and comprised the structural integrity. The Carabajals were displaced with family and received some limited FEMA assistance for a temporary rental for a short period of time. Unable to afford to fully repair or replace the home or continue living in a rental unit, the couple was forced to move back into their damaged mobile home. In an effort to make the best of their situation, they made some patch-work repairs to a portion of the roof and put up plastic in a portion of the home which served as their walls and was an attempt to contain any mold.
In January 2019, the Carabajals were referred to Lutheran Social Services Disaster Response (LSSDR) for disaster case management services. Their case manager worked with them to complete a recovery plan and identify possible resources to address their needs. Their case manager presented their case to the Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group (CBDRG) and in May 2019 the clients were approved for a mobile home replacement, including demolition and removal of the old unit and temporary storage. Volunteers with CBDRG assisted in moving their belongings to and from storage. CBDRG was also able to provide the Carabajals with an abundance of food from Coastal Bend Food Bank to assist during this transition. The case manager also successfully presented the case to Samaritan’s Purse who provided furniture for their new home and to the American Red Cross for financial assistance.
On August 22, 2019, two years after the devastation brought by Hurricane Harvey, LSSDR, CBDRG, and community partners celebrated with the Carabajals as they received the keys to their new home.
“First giving all praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, none of this would’ve been possible without Him touching everyone’s hearts for us,” shared Mrs. Carabajal. “There’s so much to tell- between staying at the beach, being eaten up by mosquitos and living with mold we’re so grateful for our new home. Everyone has been so amazing. Everyone came together, showing us so much love. Our church, our family, our friends, the ones who purchased our home, the ones who gave us food, Lutheran Social Services there are not enough words to express how grateful I am for my cousin referring me to them, everyone who has contributed in making this possible – May God bless you all!”
About Upbring
Upbring is a leading Texas-based, faith-inspired nonprofit organization working to break the cycle of child abuse by empowering children, families and communities. Upbring embraces public-private partnerships with individual stakeholders; federal, state and local government agencies; community groups; small businesses; and large corporations to deliver services that produce measurable progress toward five key markers of every child’s well-being: safety, life skills, education, health and vocation. Upbring benefits nearly 30,000 families each year with its life-changing programs—including foster care, adoption, education, residential treatment and community services. While Upbring has evolved over more than 135 years of service, our organization remains firmly focused on delivering innovative programs and services that address the root causes of child abuse and neglect. For more information, please visit Upbring.org.