Target Hunger Hurricane Harvey Recovery Fund

Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas on Friday, August 25, 2017. It brought with it devastating winds and historic amounts of rainfall, the likes of which Texas had never seen. An estimated 9 trillion gallons of rain fell on the Houston area in just 36 hours -- more than most cities see in an entire year. Record breaking flooding occurred across the Houston area, with some parts of the city being inundated with 51 inches of rain.

At Target Hunger, we want to do more than help people recover from the storm; our goal is to impact and improve communities. By expanding our disaster recovery relationships, we are fighting to continue alleviating hunger in the communities we serve, and throughout Houston.

Target Hunger began receiving and distributing food, water, and other essential supplies on Friday, September 1, 2017. In the three and a half month period since the storm, Target Hunger has provided disaster relief services for nearly 6,000 families. Our Langston Family Life Center, Denver Harbor Multi-Service Center, and St. Peter Claver Catholic Church sites have served as primary distribution points. In partnership with the Houston Health Department, Target Hunger also established distribution points at seven additional multi-service centers throughout Houston. We have also partnered with several churches in the community to extend our recovery efforts to as many Houstonians as possible.

Since Target Hunger operates in neighborhoods that are considered "food deserts," our role in the Harvey recovery effort has been a critical one. The northeast Houston neigborhoods we serve were some of the hardest hit by the flooding. The impact on children, seniors and families within our five zip code areas -- many of whom were already expericencing hunger or food insecurity -- has been enourmous. Our newest permanent distribution site, the Northeast Multi-Service Center, is located a short walk from Shadydale Elementary School, with which Target Hunger maintains a partnership. Shadydale is a Title I school, with ninety-five percent of the school's students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. In September, Target Hunger delivered and distributed 946 disaster relief food bags to Shadydale -- one for every student enrolled there. What we know is that students from Shadydale come from families that are typical of this particular neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods, and that many of them will need food assistance for many months and years to come. Now more than ever, we are commited to ensuring that having enough food to eat is not one of the things children, seniors and families have to worry about.

Our efforts are only made possible through the generosity, compassion, and dilligence of our supporters and volunteers. Our dedicated staff is commited to serving our community, but we can't do it alone.  Hurricane Harvey may have come and gone in a flash, but Target Hunger has served northeast Houston for nearly thirty years, and we’re here for the long-haul.

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