HOUSTON – If there is anything that Houstonians can empathize with, it is the understanding of experiencing heart-ache when it comes to the wrath of Mother Nature.
One wedding planner turned renowned recovery effort organizer has now set her sights to bring help from Houston to the hardest-hit areas of Louisiana after Hurricane Laura.
For Recovery Houston founder, Kat Creech, some things never change.
“How do we continue to give? How do we continue to help and how do we touch a person’s life?” Kat Creech said.
Even years later, she thinks about these questions. After all, it was Hurricane Harvey that started them in the first place. KPRC2′s Rose-Ann Aragon first met Kat Creech when she was a wedding planner turned Harvey volunteer organizer. When the 2017 wedding she was planning was postponed due to Harvey, Creech created another plan for guests.
READ: Couple postpones wedding, inspires help for Harvey victims
Let’s go out Labor Day weekend, and let’s go out recover some homes!” Creech thought.
When she couldn’t find an effective and efficient organization to place her then newfound volunteers, she created one. It was then on Labor Day weekend, the volunteer non-profit organization, Recovery Houston, was born.
“We moved 2,500 volunteers in three months. We recovered 250 homes during that time,” Creech said to KPRC 2.
Recovery Houston went on to gain hundreds of volunteers and take on larger projects, long-term recovery efforts and even beautifying an east Houston school affected by Hurricane Harvey.
READ: Wedding planner turns postponed event into Harvey relief effort
Months later, her efforts and KPRC’s story on Creech were recognized by President Barack Obama as the top of his three most memorable humanitarian stories of the year.
READ: Obama tweets KPRC story about local woman behind Harvey recovery group
However, Creech is not stopping in her efforts to bring relief, hope and humanity.
“This weekend, Labor Day weekend, we’re deploying teams to get Houston boots on the ground to go help our Cajun sisters and brothers,” Creech said.
She is organizing an effort to bring dozens to help move debris, put tarp and offer helping hands to those affected by Laura.
“Small twigs, to branches to large trunks, tacking down blue tarps. There’s work for everyone,” said Blaise Mladenka, Recovery Houston board member and long-time volunteer.
“The entire area is completely without power,” Creech said. “With electricity, food and water in that area, hotels are far and few between ... so we’re looking at setting up camp.”
Recovery Houston has volunteers there now. Creech has made local contacts and is working also with the Cajun Navy. They are hoping to put blue tarps on homes to protect the homeowner’s belongings as they wait for insurance to respond. Recovery Houston is putting out the call for volunteers, donations and supplies.
“Safety goggles, ear protection, gloves,” Creech said.
Creech said they are trying to buy more blue tarp and also hoping there are people willing to lend their RV for the weekend to help keep volunteers cool.
“We weren’t touched so how can we help those that were affected because someday they’re going to be able to return the favor,” Creech said.
“It’s just being kind and leading with a heart of kindness that helps make the world go around.”
For more information visit: www.recoveryhouston.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RecoveryHouston
Facebook Event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/2648124595402447/