In the peak of a tough winter across the country, we are persistently providing long-term recovery support for communities impacted by disasters months, even years ago. Households are still living with leaking roofs, damaged wiring, mold, and long lists of major repairs that feel impossible to tackle alone.
Across Florida, North Carolina, and Texas, our teams are in the long stretch of recovery, the one that happens quietly, well after talk of hurricanes and flooding has faded from the headlines.
Read on for what that looks like in these states right now.
Florida
Our work in Florida continues since Hurricanes Helene and Milton hit in October 2024, and the need is still immense. Nearly a year and a half after these back-to-back Category 4 and 5 storms hit within just 13 days of each other, many are still not able to live in their homes, or live in dignified situations.
Right now, our team has 7 homes under construction, and is starting the next steps to complete critical interior repairs for 19 additional homes.
Dawn (to the right), a mother from New Port Richey, lost her family home when Hurricane Milton’s storm surge flooded the house and waterlogged nearly everything they owned.
“I had never gone through anything like this before – not even remotely close. The process of what to do and how to do it was so overwhelming and so scary.”
We were able to complete the mold sanitation, repairs and appliance replacements Dawn couldn’t manage on her own. Today, she once again has a safe, stable place to call home thanks to the volunteers, partners, and supporters who make this work possible.
Meeting Families Where Recovery Still Feels Overwhelming
As our team explores further inland, we’re seeing more homes with significant roof damage. Along the coast, flood impacts from long-ago storms are still widespread: some homes still even need to be gutted, while others sit stripped to the studs, waiting for the next step.
Many of the homeowners we meet are older adults living on fixed incomes, often managing health conditions and living alone. We’re also meeting larger families trying to rebuild while caring for children.
One person we met recently stays on our minds: Erica, a single mother raising seven children in a small home. She’s still dealing with an active roof leak, and mold has begun spreading. Despite all the chaos she’s enduring, the atmosphere inside her home felt calm and warm. She’s shown a remarkable and stirring sense of resilience, and it’s exactly why this work matters so much to us.
It’s difficult to see how many people are still struggling so long after the storms. As we move closer to completing repairs for more families, we’re looking forward to the relief and stability that comes with helping them return home.
North Carolina
In the heart of winter, our Hurricane Helene recovery work has only intensified. Even on icy days, our base has been buzzing with activity, volunteers and the AH&H team as motivated as ever to move recovery forward. We’re still supporting homes that we muck and gutted in the early days of the response – and are proud to see repairs coming full circle after tackling a wide range of repairs and creative problem solving through unexpected challenges. We’ve completed work at over 160 homes so far, with many more in the works.
At Ivy’s home, repairs include a rebuilt porch and a wheelchair-accessible ramp for her young son, who has limited mobility and will soon need a wheelchair. Rebuilding her home after the storm with these accessibility modifications provides Ivy with a place where they can continue to grow together, no matter what challenges life brings.
We also joined a Martin Luther King Jr. Day community service event in Asheville with Hood Huggers. Volunteers cleaned a cemetery and refreshed a community garden in a historically Black neighborhood. It was an enriching day of giving back in a different way, supporting the broader community alongside our home repair work.
Texas
It’s been a busy few weeks in Texas. We are continuing recovery after the 4th of July’s destructive and deadly flooding in Texas Hill Country, where water levels along the Guadalupe River rose more than 26 feet in 45 minutes in some areas. Our teams have recently completed repairs on six homes, with three more currently in progress, and 12 additional homes assessed, each step bringing families closer to safe living spaces. The repair work we’re doing is taking many shapes and forms, where we’ve been responding to the specific needs of each household.
Meet Robert K., to the right. His entire home was swept away during the flooding and crashed into a tree. We’re now preparing for a tiny home to be delivered to him, and our team did all the construction work to provide a concrete pad as the foundation for his future home.
Then there’s Robert B., whose home sits on the edge of a hill. The flood destroyed the retaining wall that holds the soil in place, putting his home at risk of sliding down the slope. Our team rebuilt his wall and installed a drain to redirect water, protecting both the land and his home from future storms.
We’re constantly reminded how different recovery looks for everyone. The most important part is to start by listening to families, understanding their unique challenges, and working together to make the repairs that truly meet their needs.
We’re grateful to be part of this work, and we look forward to sharing more updates as families move closer to coming home.
Make a Difference
Your support makes long-term recovery possible. Please consider donating to help us continue providing critical relief to our neighbors in the U.S.
Thank you for standing with communities in their greatest time of need.
