I'M GOING TO HOUSTON ...

39 organizations came together to promote
the Barrington Regional Hurricane Relief for Houston. The effort was inspired by John Dawson of Dawson Builders and President of The Build Team (NFP), who said in early Fall 2017, “I’m going to Houston to help hurricane victims—anyone care to join me?”

The Barrington area responded with 20 travel-ready volunteers and $60,000 in donations. Many others here at home assisted with planning and organizing. Truly, an inspired response.

Two Houston organizations made the Barrington team effort successful: Baker Ripley, a long-established community service organization, provided the work sites and St. Martin’s Episcopal Church provided the team with amazing accommodations on their church campus.

The grateful family of our prime location welcomed us to their home which was a true disaster area! The walls and floors were wet, studs rotting, roof and soffit leaking with wind damage, and the remainder of the homeowners' life’s possessions stacked in the back yard. Our team was the first ray of hope they had in three months!

With the flooding, the family lost everything in their home that wasn't up on high shelves—furniture, bedding, clothing, appliances, and all three of their vehicles! Life was in chaos. Getting to work, getting medical attention, even finding clothes to wear were everyday struggles.

In eight days we transformed their home and their lives. But the volunteers and the donors were the greater beneficiaries of the Barrington Regional Hurricane Relief effort.

In all, the team worked on three homes but that is just the beginning of what is needed there. It is estimated that 63,000 homes in Houston remain in need of serious repairs.

We'd like to go back... care to join us?