Rebuilding Hope in the Hill Country Weekly Update – December 22, 2025
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Your support in action this week: |
In the wake of the July 4 floods, neighbors across the Hill Country continue to show up for one another. Here’s a quick look at the progress your support is making possible.
Please note: This is our final newsletter of 2025. We wish you a warm and restful holiday season and look forward to sharing weekly updates with you again in 2026. Weekly stats:
The holidays are different this year for so many of us here in the Hill Country and throughout the state. The Community Foundation has made multi-year mental health investments in New Hope Counseling Services and the Children’s Bereavement Center to help our local community heal. If you know someone locally who needs help, encourage them to reach out to either mental health organization.
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Home repair and rebuilding continues. The Foundation has three grantees currently doing this crucial work: All Hands and Hearts, Habitat for Humanity Kerr County, and the Hunt Preservation Society. As of today, four homes are complete, 50 are under construction, and 70 more are in the pre-construction phase.
- We’re proud to continue supporting the Hunt Preservation Society (HPS) as a key partner in flood recovery. This week the Foundation made additional grants to HPS expanding case management for affected families, advancing home repairs, and accelerating rebuilding efforts. HPS has already completed two homes, has dozens more under construction, and is leading critical recovery work across West Kerr County.
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As of today, six families whose homes were made uninhabitable by the flood have been approved for the Community Foundation’s Down Payment Assistance Program. These families will receive between $110,000 and $140,000 in down payment assistance for the purchase of a new local home. These successes are made possible by local lenders and realtors, the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation, and the Community Foundation's financial backing.
The Unmet Needs Fund is a resource launched last month for flood-affected families, offering support for critical needs that remain unaddressed. Case managers are trained on how to deploy the Fund, and thus far the average amount of household assistance is $4,561.
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Grant Opportunity: Know a Nonprofit Working to Support Community Recovery? |
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country has opened the Community and Culture Fund questionnaire for nonprofits and public organizations serving Kerr County and Comfort. This first step helps determine if your mission and programs align with funding priorities such as community spaces, arts and cultural revitalization, river and riparian restoration, public safety and small business recovery. If your organization may benefit from this Fund’s priorities, you can learn more and begin the process below. |
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The Family Mental Health Care Fund, fully funded by the Community Foundation and managed by the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, provides counseling and financial support to families who lost loved ones in the July 4 floods. The Fund covers expenses that insurance will not and helps uninsured families find low or no cost care. Get support: -
Call the Lucine Center Navigation Line: 832-244-9502
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For help connecting to counseling, grief support, or other mental health resources.
- Submit documentation for reimbursement or financial assistance: form.jotform.com/252924398743166
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Contact the Meadows Institute at 469-436-2371 with questions about eligibility or reimbursement
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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. |
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Impact Story: Don and Anne |
“Even at this old age, it’s kinda hard to accept so much help. But Jay wouldn’t let us off. We’re just so very thankful.”
Watch Don and Anne share their journey of recovery, from a home in disarray to a place they can once again call home, made possible through support, persistence and community care. |
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The Needs Assessment, launched August 4, 2025, provides a clear picture of what flood-impacted households need most, including housing repairs, financial support and health services. This information helps recovery partners target resources where they can make the most impact. |
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Were you affected by the flood? |
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