MAY 27, 2020 [PORTLAND, TEXAS] The Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group (CBDRG) welcomed home Krystal Moss and her family during their 100th home dedication ceremony. A blessing of the home, presentation of the keys and a ribbon cutting were performed to a crowd full of supporters.
Moss and her family have lived at her property in Portland for 27 years. During Hurricane Harvey, Moss evacuated to the Valley with her sister, but her daughter, Priscilla Tarpley, and her husband and son, Ed and Sean, made the decision to stay in Portland. When the storm strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane, the Tarpley’s took refuge at the daycare where Priscilla works. After returning the following morning, they found a tornado had ripped off a large portion of their roof and their home was inhabitable. The family has been away from their home since the storm, first staying with family friends in Flour Bluff then living in a townhouse in Portland. 1,006 days later, they feel a sense of relief to finally return to the place they call home. “We just want to thank everybody that’s had a hand in making today possible,” Ed shared. “We had no clue how this was going to work out when we started, and it’s awesome. I haven’t seen my mother-in-law smile in a long time and when she found out about this she couldn’t stop. We’re ready to be back home.”
Brian DeLatte, City of Portland Deputy City Manager, was one of many in attendance at the ceremony. “On behalf of the Mayor and City Council, we’re just so excited to get this family back into their home. It’s been 1,006 days since they’ve been without a home and it’s a testament to the great work of the Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group and everybody involved helping this family return.”
Cheniere Energy has partnered with CBDRG to rebuild four homes and complete eight repairs. To date, all eight repairs have been completed and this is the third home to be rebuilt. “This is a very exciting day for Krystal, our company, and our community,” said Steven Davidson, Community Affairs Manager at Cheniere Energy. “We are honored to have been able to help the Moss family and are proud to be a part of the Coastal Bend.”
A donation from the Howard E. Butt, Jr. family was also used to fund the project. Christian Public Services (CPS), Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS), MDS – RV, and Firefighters for Christ provided the volunteers who built the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home. The Coastal Bend Food Bank (CBFB) supplied the family with perishable and non-perishable food items. “The Coastal Bend Food Bank is proud to partner with CBDRG in restoring homes and, more importantly, in bringing back hope to families that have lost so much,” shared Bea Hanson, CBFB Executive Director.
Moss’ home makes the 100th home CBDRG has been able to either rebuild or replace. In total, the group and their partners have completed 44 rebuilds and replaced 56 manufactured homes. “It’s easy to stand tall when you can stand on the giant shoulders of our volunteers, like CPS and MDS, and donors like Cheniere,” said Christopher Brandt, Executive Director of CBDRG. “Two and a half years after the storm, we are still assisting families and it is a blessing that we still have volunteers and donors willing to help those in need.”
CBDRG 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.
More than two years following the destruction of Hurricane Harvey, Coastal Bend residents and socially vulnerable families are still in need of assistance to recover from the devastation. CBDRG has been working diligently to bring families back home. 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. To learn more about the CBDRG and to fill open volunteer positions, visit www.coastalbenddrg.org/volunteer.