A Message from our CEO: 

Over the last month, recovery across the Texas Hill Country continued to move from stabilization toward visible, measurable progress. Families are returning home. Businesses are reopening. Public spaces are beginning to come back to life.

In May, the Community Foundation helped spotlight both recovery and long-term stewardship through environmental restoration efforts, mental health partnerships, donor gatherings across Texas, and the release of the documentary Hope for the Guadalupe. The film has helped share the story of loss, resilience, and rebuilding with audiences statewide while also elevating the importance of restoring the river corridor for future generations.

At the same time, our work is focused on practical outcomes: housing construction, case management, counseling support, small business assistance, and investments in civic infrastructure that strengthen daily life in Kerr County. It was a joy to celebrate with Hunt residents on May 16 at the opening of the Hunt Community Center!

Recovery is an economic and human condition that we are all experiencing. And because of thousands of donors, partners, volunteers, and local organizations, meaningful progress continues every day. Our home is worth fighting for!

-Austin Dickson

New Program: Reimbursement

The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country now offers reimbursement assistance for flood survivors who have paid for eligible repairs and expenses out of pocket. If you paid for qualifying costs before learning about available programs, you may still be eligible to apply.

Please contact your case manager. If you are not yet enrolled in Rebuild Kerr, complete the Needs Assessment at RebuildKerr.org to get connected with a Disaster Case Manager who can guide you through all available program options.

The application window is open May 1 through August 31, 2026.

Your Impact in Action: Texas State Affordable Housing

In Kerr County, recovery is rooted in neighbors helping neighbors.

“You truly have neighbors taking care of neighbors,” said Michael Wilt of Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation. “They’re stewards of the land and stewards of each other.”

With support from the Community Foundation and donors like you, families affected by the flood are receiving help rebuilding one of the most important parts of their lives: a safe place to call home.

Funding is helping residents replace lost housing, whether they owned or rented, and providing down payment assistance for families working toward homeownership for the first time.

“We’re here to help people get back into a house,” Wilt shared. “For many families, the down payment is the biggest hurdle.”

Wilt also emphasized the Community Foundation’s role in shaping a recovery program tailored to the specific needs of Kerr County families.

“The foundation has been an integral part of setting this program up,” he said. “They’ve been deliberate, thoughtful, and careful in making sure it truly benefits impacted residents.”

Because of you, families are finding stability, rebuilding their futures, and taking important steps toward home again.

Austin Partner Providing Long-Term Grief Support

Last week, the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country visited the Christi Center in Austin, a nonprofit providing free grief and bereavement support for children, families, and adults affected by the July 4 floods.

Through support from the Community Foundation, the Christi Center is helping ensure survivors have access to long-term emotional and mental health care as they navigate loss, trauma, and recovery.

The organization is one of several partners supported through the Foundation’s statewide recovery efforts, recognizing that disaster recovery extends far beyond immediate relief and includes ongoing grief and mental health support.

During the visit, Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation, met with Christi Center leadership to discuss the importance of a coordinated, long-term recovery approach and the critical role organizations like the Christi Center play in helping communities heal.

Recovery does not end when the floodwaters recede. Partners like the Christi Center are helping ensure individuals and families continue to receive compassionate support for the road ahead.

Strengthening Mental Health Across Our Community

The full Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute’s Needs Assessment outlines four strategic areas the community must activate to address both existing and emerging mental health challenges following the July 4 flood.

The Community Foundation is committed to advancing each of these priorities through thoughtful, multi-year investments.

• Awareness and Navigation Supports
• The Foundation is investing in mental health navigation and awareness efforts, including a three-year grant to fund a Community Mental Health Navigator who connects individuals and families to timely, compassionate care.
• Trauma and Grief Capacity
• Multi-year grants to local partners are expanding trauma and grief services, strengthening counselor capacity and equipping parents, educators and helping professionals to respond to disaster-related loss.
• Community Access Points
• The Foundation is increasing barrier-free access to care by fully funding a walk-in Emotional Support Drop-In Center and exploring expanded services in schools, faith communities and through telehealth.
• Specialized Care
• Targeted investments are supporting bereaved families, first responders, educators and other impacted groups through dedicated funds, professional workshops and mobile mental health resources.

How to get help:

The Community Flood Recovery Needs Assessment is helping identify what Hill Country families need most after the July 4 floods, from housing repairs and financial strain to emotional and mental health challenges. This survey guides how recovery resources are directed and helps ensure assistance reaches every neighbor who needs it.

If your household was affected by the storm, or if you know someone who was, please take a moment to complete or share the assessment.

Grant Opportunities: Know a Nonprofit Working to Support Community Recovery? 

The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country has opened the Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund as well as the Community and Culture Fund application portal for nonprofits and public organizations serving Kerr County and Comfort. The first step - an online Letter of Interest - helps determine if the applicant’s mission and programs align with funding priorities.

If your organization may benefit from this Fund’s priorities, you can learn more and begin the process below.

Were you affected by the flood? 

Please complete our needs assessment, and a case manager will be in touch with you. 

Click here for Needs Assessment.