Ark in flood recovery for the long haul
The Ark Warehouse in Marble Falls is the central donation hub for supplies sent to the Highland Lakes following the Fourth of July weekend flood. The nonprofit is still hard at work providing relief to flood victims weeks after the disaster. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Ark of Highland Lakes was one of the first organizations to jump into action after the Fourth of July weekend flood, and its job of assisting victims of the natural disaster is still far from over.
The nonprofit Ark, formerly known as the Highland Lakes Crisis Network, was founded in the wake of the October 2018 flooding of the Llano and Colorado rivers to help residents recover and rebuild. The organization is continuing its original mission, following up on at least 433 identified cases of long-term assistance needed after the most recent disaster.
“It’s still pretty chaotic around here, but we’re getting into a rhythm,” Ark Executive Director Kevin Naumann told DailyTrib.com. “(The flood was) a devastating and terrible thing, but it’s also the time you see the best in people.”
Flooding was at its worst on the morning of July 5, which triggered an immediate response from Ark. The nonprofit draws upon a list of over 3,000 registered volunteers, most of whom pitched in immediately when disaster struck.
Some numbers of note:
- At least 840 individual volunteers completed 5,690 hours of muck-out work on flooded homes and properties.
- Ark provided emergency shelter to 24 displaced residents immediately following the flood.
- At least 18,300 meals were distributed by Ark from July 6-25 to volunteers, first responders, and anyone else who needed hot food.
- Ark’s multi-agency resource center helped 527 residents from July 11-18.
- The nonprofit handed out $39,490 worth of gift cards to help residents with flood recovery from July 11-18.
Work is still underway, with The Ark Warehouse at 800 Industrial Boulevard in Marble Falls serving as the primary donation hub for most of the Highland Lakes. Flood victims can visit the warehouse for food, supplies, and even furniture and clothing from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
The 433 long-term cases identified by Ark range from a property owner who needs a fence replaced to residents who lost their homes.
Naumann estimates the organization could be providing assistance in these cases for the next two years, which is similar to what happened in the 2018 flood.
Work crews are in the field on a daily basis, making repairs, clearing debris, and praying for those who lost something in the flood.
Some homes can be renovated to fix damage, but others cannot. Many RVs and trailers that served as the primary residence for some flood victims were completely destroyed and need to be replaced.
“On a pretty conservative estimate, I think we are looking at a $3 million or more project to get our little community back to some sense of normalcy,” Naumann said. “This high cost, paired with the main focus of attention being in other areas of the state, has us scrambling to try to raise as much as possible.”
Resources
To volunteer at The Ark Warehouse, sign up at this link.
To learn more about volunteering for debris cleanup or construction projects, or for other volunteer opportunities, click on this link.
To make a monetary donation online, visit this link.
Individual or small supply donations can be dropped off at The Ark Warehouse from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, but a call to 325-423-3662 is requested for large-scale donations.