Hurricane Harvey: Austin, Williamson County Volunteers Mobilize To Help Distressed Survivors

sEAST AUSTIN, TX — About 200 evacuees fleeing what once was Hurricane Harvey that's since been downgraded to a tropical storm have found safe haven in Austin.

In a Saturday afternoon press conference, county officials gathered to address various aspects of the area response to the major climactic event. One officials noted that just under 200 people displaced from their homes had settled into the Delco Activity Center operated by the Austin ISD.

The center is located at 4601 Pecan Brook Dr. It's one of two local shelters opening its doors for displaced families, with the other one, the LBJ/LASA High School location, located at 7309 Lazy Creek Dr.

By the hundreds, residents of Corpus Christi and other affected cities along the Texas Gulf Coast have arrived en masse to Austin and San Antonio for safer ground. Most of those folks have ended up in San Antonio, but scores have ventured further north into Austin in search of shelter.

One volunteer at the Delco Center posted on Facebook a couple of photos showing the face of the evacuation on the relieved visages of children finding safe haven in the Capital City.

In addition to the Delco Center shelter, Austin opened a second safe haven at LBJ/LASA High School at 7309 Lazy Creek Dr. Additional shelters will be opened as needed, with announcements to that effect made via the municipal Twitter page @austintexasgov.

Meanwhile, the Salvation Army in Austin deployed Saturday evening to the Texas Gulf Coast with an array of relief aid. The deployment launched from the parking lot of an HEB store at1100 N. Interstate in Georgetown, Texas, at 6:45 p.m. on Aug. 26. On hand were Randy O'Dell, the Williamson County emergency relief disaster relief coordinator; Capt. Joe DeBlanc, Salvation Army Austin area command emergency disaster relief coordinator; and the emergency disaster services volunteer team.

The team took with them a mobile kitchen (canteen) equipped to cook and serve 1,400 meals plus snacks and drinks each day; a mobile catering unit designed to deliver meals to survivors in hard-to-reach areas; and a mule—a four-wheeler designed to deliver meals support to survivors in even harder-to-reach areas.

Led by Capt. Patrick Gesner, the team served coffee and meals throughout the day. "We ventured out in the early hours and it appeared that The Salvation Army building was intact," Gesner said. "We collected some extra food from our freezer and fired up the generator on the mobile kitchen. We've already been serving coffee this morning and the police and first responders have expressed how pleased they are we are here. Our focus today will be cooking and serving meals at the FEMA dome while the city assessment is taking place."

Gesner and his team, including Gustavo Perez, business manager, and Yamid Duarte, communications director, delivered food to one of the city shelters at Robstown Seale Junior High on Saturday morning. “We delivered hot dogs and about 900 bottles of water to the shelter which was housing around 50 people,” Duarte said. “Our team, although exhausted responded to as many requests for assistance as possible. We were excited to see the mobile kitchen from the Laredo Corps arrive this afternoon!”

All told, 1,200 meals, 300 snacks, and 45 cases of water were distributed in Corpus Christi on Saturday. The Texas Division fleet of 34 mobile kitchens was joined by 10 units from the neighboring Oklahoma Arkansas Division along with an Incident Management Team, officials said. The Florida Division has deployed two mobile bunk houses and two shower units to Texas.

Regional volunteers with the American Red Cross quickly mobilized as well, quickly acting to assist hurricane victims.

Austin Mayor Steve Adler is doing his part as well. On Sunday, the mayor's office confirmed Adler will be joined by Mexican Consul General, Carlos Gonzalez Gutierrez in serving dinner to evacuees at the Delco shelter. The two dignitaries-turned-servers were scheduled to serve dinner at 6 p.m.

Nearby, San Antonio-based grocery store chain HEB mobilized a convoy of trucks filled with food, water and other supplies for victims of flooding further south along the coastline. An NBC 5 reporter covering the flooding came across an HEB disaster relief convoy on the highway just outside Golidad, Texas, and had the presence of mind to film it.

The best of humanity is often seen during times of strife. The massive altruistic response to those affected by Hurricane Harvey is a case in point, shining a light of hope amid the dark storm.

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