Above: the KW office collection for Texas flood victims
Real estate professionals across Texas and the nation are launching donation drives and volunteer efforts as search teams continue looking for survivors of the devastating flooding that has killed at least 120 people and left 173 missing (as of press time) in Central Texas over the July Fourth holiday.
The flooding began July 4 when torrential rain fell in a short amount of time across the Texas Hill Country, swelling the Guadalupe River up to 26 feet in 45 minutes, devastating communities along its banks.
The death toll reached 120 people as of late Wednesday, with at least 173 still missing, according to news reports. Among the dead and missing are children and counselors from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp.
The National Association of Realtors® and the Realtors® Relief Foundation (RRF) activated their disaster efforts in response to the tragedy. Nick Falco, executive director of RRF, said in a statement that the organization is “working closely with Texas Realtors® and local Realtor® associations to make sure that we are supporting communities in areas affected by the flooding.”
The foundation uses 100% of donations to provide relief and support for front-line responders. Donors can contribute by texting RRF4TX25 to 71777. RRF has started the process to make funds available to those impacted by the floods, a spokesperson said.
Texas Realtors® Chairman Christy Gessler said the organization is still evaluating how their members, members’ clients and local associations have been impacted by the deadly floods.
“We’re working with and contributing to community organizations in affected areas to get immediate assistance to those who need it most,” Gessler told RISMedia in a statement.
Fairway Home Mortgage, which has headquarters in Carrollton, Texas, and Madison, Wisconsin, announced it was donating $1 million to relief efforts through Wood Group Gives, one of the lender’s Texas nonprofits.
“The loss of life and the devastation caused by the floods in Texas this past weekend are difficult to fathom. Our hearts break for the families who are grieving such sudden and unexpected loss,” Fairway’s Regional SVP Marc Wood said in a statement. “Now is the time to live out our commitment to love and serve our communities, and we are committed to doing everything we can to support and help rebuild in the wake of this tragedy.”
Meanwhile, local real estate agents are pitching in where they can to help. Cord Shiflet, an agent with Moreland Properties in Austin, has posted updates on Facebook to his 50,000 followers as he and others help clear debris from roads and organize volunteers.
Gloria Lorraine Mendoza, a sales agent with Keller Williams City View in San Antonio, described the generosity of the community after her colleague, Dainelle Scott with Keller Williams Boerne in Boerne, Texas, started a donation drive for supplies.
“You just would not believe the outpouring of support that we’ve gotten,” Mendoza said.
The devastation strikes close to home for Keller Williams, which is headquartered in Austin, approximately an hour from the worst-hit areas.
Meanwhile, Keller Williams Realty International and KW Cares, a nonprofit organization that supports the brokerage’s agent community and their families, announced Tuesday that it donated $150,000 to TEXSAR: Texas Search and Rescue, an Austin-based nonprofit first-responder group, and Mercy Chefs, a faith-based nonprofit that’s providing meals to volunteers and first responders.
Alexia Rodriguez, executive director of KW Cares, confirmed that all Keller Williams associates in the affected areas have been accounted for and are safe. However, property damage assessments are still ongoing at agents’ homes.
“We are spreading the word that KW Cares is here,” Rodriguez said. “We’re here to help, especially with emergency grants for people who need lodging because they can’t make it back into their homes, or for long-term assistance if they lost their home or need repairs.”
As hopes fade to find survivors, local real estate offices continue pitching in with relief efforts to help their neighbors. Mendoza said her Keller Williams office held a prayer meeting Monday, but their focus wasn’t on business. Instead, they talked about how they’ll help their fellow Texans recover and heal.
“You can’t stop seeing all of these social media videos and hearing stories, and they just keep getting worse and worse,” Mendoza said. “It’s all so heartbreaking.”
