HOUSTON – Former President Barack Obama took to Twitter Friday to share some stories he said: "remind us what's best about America." At the top of his list of memorable stories was a KPRC story of a woman, an event planner who changed so many lives after a wedding she was planning was postponed.
"As we count down to the new year, we get to reflect and prepare for what's ahead," he tweeted. "For all the bad news that seemed to dominate our collective consciousness, there are countless stories from this year that remind us what's best about America."
In his tweet thread, Obama shared a news article about Kat Creech, a wedding planner in Houston who turned a postponed wedding into a volunteer opportunity for Hurricane Harvey victims.
As we count down to the new year, we get to reflect and prepare for what’s ahead. For all the bad news that seemed to dominate our collective consciousness, there are countless stories from this year that remind us what's best about America.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 29, 2017
"That idea ignited the idea for Recovery Houston, and it really allowed for complete strangers to be able to help," said Creech then.
On Friday, Creech is stunned by how her story had an impact on the former president.
"To have him remember a little story that had a huge impact on Houstonians -- I think, 'Yeah. It's pretty impressive," Creech said.
That simple idea turned into a lifetime of work and motivation. Creech's idea turned into a massive volunteer organization. Her effort to organize has helped hundreds of Harvey survivors.
Recovery Houston has since had 2,000 volunteers, helped 250 homes and has touched so many people's hearts.
"I think that at a time that we have so much negativity and fatigue of negativity -- (this is) another example of how positive and doing good and lifting others up is so much more empowering," Creech said.
While working on expanding the recovery effort, she is still thinking about ways she can help others.
She is now working on creating a training program for future volunteers -- veterans and people in need. Her goal is to eventually pay volunteers and help them learn skills to help tend to the rebuilding of Harvey-affected homes so they can have skills for future employment.
"Give them hope and an opportunity to be a part of the economy, and then when we're done with the crisis and done with the rebuild, those wonderful individuals then have a skill set so they can go and get another job," Creech said.
Under Creech's leadership, the organization has grown exponentially. What was once a mere idea is now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit group with a board of directors, a code of bylaws and more.
Her efforts were eventually recognized by others. Creech was invited to be honored at the One America Appeal concert, a Harvey fundraiser at College Station.
There she got to meet former President Obama in person, along with the five former living former presidents.
"I had the opportunity to shake all the hands of the 5 former presidents, and I did take the opportunity to ask President Obama if he would like to fist pump with me, and I thought it was something that I would take away for my whole life. I had no idea it would impact him."
Her staff of five, including herself, volunteer their time. All of the efforts of Recovery Houston are free. Creech said they are hoping to fundraise so they can keep making their services sustainable.
Creech said sharing hope is the most empowering way to change a community.
"Lifting others up is so much more empowering and so much more impactful," Creech said.
Website: RecoveryHouston.org
Donations: http://www.paypal.me/RecoveryHouston