On Friday, Harvey hit Texas as a Category 4 hurricane. Making it the strongest storm to hit the US in over a decade. Harvey later weakened to a tropical storm, but hung out over Texas all weekend, dropping some heavy rain. It has brought catastrophic rainfall to the Houston area in what is being called a 500-year flood, with many parts of the city burried under 10 feet of water. Everyone in Houston has been affected as highways have become flooded and bayous overflow. Our city of 6.5 million people is currently underwater and paralyzed.
Being a Houston based organization, our hearts go out to those severely affected by the flooding that is getting worst, to those who have lost homes, cars, and struggled to get to safety.
Health Fitness Revolution has been touched by the amount of generosity and kindness that people have been showing each other during these trying times. People are taking their personal boats and jet skis out to help rescue people, neighbors are taking each other in, and first responders are working non-stop around the clock to help those in life-threatening situations. Houston, you make us proud by coming together!
If you are still in need of shelter, the George R. Brown convention center in downtown Houston is open to all (with your pets! so don’t leave them behind) as well as the two Gallery Furniture locations. Mattress Mack, who we named our 2014 Man of the Year, has kindly opened these locations which are full of mattresses and couches to all those seeking refuge and safety. You can bring your crated pets as well.
If you are local to Houston and would like to help refugees, visit your neighborhood Facebook pages and Nextdoor, there are many groups arranging local drop-offs for donations of clothes, shampoo, food, and hygiene products that will be brought to people hunkering down in centers by law enforcement or people with suitable vehicles. Many of these people have lost everything and need basic necessities right now!
For our readers not based in Houston that wish to help the victims of this flood, here are some options ranging from the Red Cross to several celebrities who have stepped up and started fundraisers:
Houston Texans player JJ Watt’s YouCaring fund
Comedian Kevin Hart donated $25,000 to the Red Cross and challenges his celebrity friends to do the same
