SEPTEMBER 23, 2020 [WOODSBORO, TEXAS] The Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group (CBDRG) and their partners are making a significant impact in the Coastal Bend by repairing homes and providing new homes for Hurricane Harvey survivors who lack the means to recover on their own. In a continuing effort to assist residents affected by the devastating storm, CBDRG, Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi, Disaster Aid of Ohio, Mennonite Disaster Service, Rebuild Texas Fund, Refugio County Community Development Foundation, Week of Compassion, the Town of Woodsboro and the Food Bank of the Golden Crescent are working together to build the Tierra de Esperanza community development project.
Tierra de Esperanza is a joint project to build 23 brand new homes for Hurricane Harvey survivors in Woodsboro, Texas. The partnering organizations committed a combined $2.3 million for the project and the homes will be built by volunteers from Disaster Aid of Ohio. These homes will provide relief to the families who have been in need since the storm and also bring improvements that will benefit city and county as well.
“As a region, we have to continue to find ways to make our communities more resilient to weather the next storm,” shared Judge Robert Blaschke of Refugio County. “One thing I learned from Harvey is we have more in common than we have different. This project means everything to county residents. Putting people back in their homes and giving them hope is heartwarming. I can’t thank all these organizations enough.”
The homes are being built on 3.6 acres and there are two floor plans being used for the homes, depending on the homeowners’ family size and needs: two-bedroom, one bath or three-bedroom, two baths. Each home will be windstorm certified and will include energy efficient central HVAC, refrigerator, stoves, ceiling fans, and laminate flooring throughout. The project is projected to be completed by Spring 2021.
“This land has only been owned by two families in Woodsboro,” shared Mayor Kay Roach of Woodsboro. “This undeveloped area will be transformed into a community of 23 homes and will improve the livelihood of many. We’re really grateful to everyone for giving us the opportunity to do this.”
CBDRG relies primarily on volunteer labor for their construction projects. The coronavirus pandemic has reduced the number of volunteers and slowed down construction projects, making the organization focus on completing existing ones.
“The pandemic has primarily reduced us to either projects that are outside exterior work or new construction to eliminate contact and face-to-face encounters,” shared Christopher Brandt, CBDRG executive director. “Over the past three years, we have seen so many people come together from near and far to help someone they don’t even know recover from the wreckage caused by Hurricane Harvey. Tierra de Esperanza translates from Spanish to Land of Hope and that’s what we’re hoping to do in Woodsboro – provide hope to the community.”
In total, CBDRG and their partners have completed 49 newly rebuilt homes, replaced 67 manufactured homes and finished 152 major repairs at a total construction cost of $7.4 million. The group remains committed to three main goals as they continue working in the area: help families return their homes to a safe, secure, habitable condition, keep the community together and bring resiliency to the community.
For the past three years, CBDRG, in partnership with several non-profits, has continued to assist socially vulnerable families across the Coastal Bend recover 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.