Hurricane Laura Disaster Relief & Recovery

CFT has established the Hurricane Laura Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund fund to support long-term needs and rebuilding efforts in response to Hurricane Laura. Donors interested in supporting long-term recovery can make online donations to the fund or recommend a donor-advised fund grant to support the fund.

About the effects of Hurricane Laura

In the early hours of August 26, Hurricane Laura made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, hitting south of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and east of Port Arthur, Texas. Damage is still being assessed, however, officials are already calling the damage in Lake Charles “catastrophic,” with roofs blown off, trees uprooted, and buildings damaged by flying debris. While areas further south of Lake Charles have had minimal access and communication but the devastation is reported in several parishes including Cameron, Calcasieu, Vernon and Beauregard. At least four people have died as a result of Hurricane Laura, but that number is expected to increase as emergency response personnel are still trying to reach some of the hardest-hit areas. There are close to 900,000 customers without power in areas that have been hit by Laura.

Areas hit by Laura include some of the counties/parishes that have the lowest median income in the U.S. These areas are highly dependent on subsistence work, manufacturing, oil and gas, and other industries that can be deeply affected by hurricane-related disruptions.

Donate to this fund

CFT Fund Holders: To make a grant from your donor-advised fund to the Hurricane Laura Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund, simply contact your portfolio manager or email donorservices@cftexas.org with your grant request.

Below are additional response funds and nonprofits responding to communities affected by Hurricane Laura that you may want to consider supporting:

Texas

• The Mass Care Task Force Fund at CFT - The Mass Care Task Force (MCTF) is a collaboration between the American Red Cross North Texas Region, the Salvation Army DFW Metroplex Command, the North Texas Food Bank and VolunteerNow. MCTF is providing support for Hurricane Laura victims who have evacuated to North Texas and are unable to return home.

• The United Way of Greater Houston - a fund established to support Hurricane Laura victims in Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jefferson Davis Parishes

• United Way of Beaumont and North Jefferson County

• Houston Responds – a coalition of churches that have come together to support disaster response across the Greater Houston area, providing support during the immediate aftermath, through long-term recovery.

• Houston Responds – designate to Coalition “Beaumont Disaster Response” – response includes basic supply distribution, general clean-up, fallen tree removal, roof tarping, and mucking & gutting.

• Orange County Disaster Rebuild – dedicated to helping those who were uninsured or underinsured from natural and man-made disasters in Orange County.

Louisiana

• Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana

• Greater New Orleans Foundation

• United Way of Mid and South Jefferson County Hurricane Laura Fund  – fund established to help communities in Port Arthur and surrounding areas.

• United Way of Southwest Louisiana Hurricane Laura Disaster Fund  – donors can also text the keyword "Laura" to 40403.

• Attack Poverty Disaster Recovery – vision is to empower people to attack poverty in their life and community by strengthening under-resourced communities through spiritual growth, education, revitalization, and basic needs. Attack Poverty is primarily working in Lake Charles, LA. They are collecting supplies to deliver in a few days, working with orgs to get water tankers into the city and mobilizing locally to prepare volunteer teams if necessary.

• Team Rubicon – Team Rubicon is an international disaster response nonprofit that unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly provide relief to communities in need. Activities will include waste management, debris removal, clean-up, volunteer management and rebuilding.

• Operation BBQ Relief – plans to serve upwards of 30,000 meals each day in Lake Charles to affected families, first responders, and disaster relief volunteers. The organization has mobilized their Command Center, equipment, supplies, and food to share the healing power of BBQ in the days ahead.

• Convoy of Hope – operates in several different program areas: Children’s Feeding, Community Outreach, Disaster Response, Agriculture, Rural Compassion and Women’s Empowerment. Convoy of Hope is delivering food, water, hygiene kits, cleaning supplies, and other relief materials. 

DONATE TO cft's hurricane laura relief and recovery FUND