It’s been a tough week for Texas, with a deadly combination of tornadoes, wildfires and even snow. At the end of the week, 16 counties were declared disaster areas by Governor Greg Abbott.
A number of small county judges have done the same, to help expedite the recovery process.
Lucy Walsworth, regional director of communications for the American Red Cross, said her organization has so far assessed more than 150 homes for damage, a number that is growing daily. She explained how to start the process.
“Please call ‘1-800-Red Cross’ and then press the option number ‘4’ so that you can connect with someone who can take their information and pass it on to us,” Walsworth stressed.
She added that Red Cross volunteers not only help find shelter, but can also meet medical, spiritual and mental health needs after a disaster. More than 70 people have requested help so far.
The storms downed power lines and destroyed homes and businesses. A few injuries were reported but no deaths. Walsworth pointed out that a multi-agency resource center is open today in Round Rock at the United Heritage Center from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., to assist anyone in need.
“All of those community partners will be there as well,” Walsworth pointed out. “It’s kind of like a one-stop shop, so to speak, to get them the help that people may need.”
Texans are also encouraged to complete the self-reported damage survey online, to help emergency management officials understand the range of problems in the state. The data is also provided to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to determine individuals’ eligibility for disaster relief.
Walsworth added that connecting people to resources is the most rewarding part of her job.
“I lose a little sleep or time away from my family; it’s really nothing compared to what some of these people are going through,” Walsworth remarked. “If we can lighten the load in any way, shape or form, that’s extremely nice.”
She noted that the organization always needs volunteers. If you are interested, contact your local Red Cross office.
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Neighborhoods are known to be more livable when housing, transportation, and public spaces align with the community, and Houston’s most diverse neighborhood is moving in that direction.
Connect Community Group received a grant from AARP Texas last year to add shade structures, seating, trees and a mural along streets in the Gulfton area of Houston, considered the neighborhood the most diverse of one of the most diverse cities in the country.
Anne Whitlock, founding director of Connect Community, said rapid action projects are being implemented to focus on the needs of the over 50 population.
“There are valuable little park spaces or gathering spaces for people,” she said, “either in their apartment complex or outside in the wider community.”
AARP Texas awarded money to six local organizations last year through its Community Challenge grant program and is accepting applications for new projects through March 22. More information is online at AARP.org/CommunityChallenge.
Lisa Rodriguez, outreach and advocacy manager for AARP Texas, said San Antonio used grants to beautify one of its historic neighborhoods, while North Houston created a multimedia art installation. She said many communities want to improve crosswalks or traffic lights for a better pedestrian experience.
“Do we need a roadmap? That’s a good idea – we could fund something like this in a neighborhood,” she said. “It could be on a neighborhood scale, or on a neighborhood scale of a town or city – or maybe the whole city or the whole city.”
Whitlock said Gulfton’s built environment is not pedestrian-friendly, and that’s why Connect’s project is designed to create comfortable, accessible spaces where people can participate in activities and socialize to build community. in its entirety.
“We want to get some of these organizations out of their buildings and more into their compounds,” she said, “because it’s very dangerous to walk in the neighborhood, so we’re trying to bring them the creation of places .”
The Texas grant program is part of AARP’s national Livable Communities initiative, which supports the efforts of cities, neighborhoods and rural areas to become better places to live.
Disclosure: AARP Texas contributes to our fund for reports on energy policy, health issues, living wages/working families, senior citizen issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.
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Iowa is set to receive $5 billion from the new federal infrastructure law. And separate grant opportunities are available to help boost smaller community improvement projects as larger ones take shape.
AARP accepts applications for its annual Community Challenge grant program. Local governments and nonprofits can apply for small grants for fast-paced projects designed to make their towns and cities more livable.
A new category is leveraging money from the Infrastructure Act or the US bailout. Connie Eastman, associate state director of community outreach for AARP Iowa, said this aligns with previous work they’ve funded.
“The majority of them have been to improve public spaces,” Eastman said, “but we’ve also had a handful for transportation, housing, and some civic engagement efforts.”
Recent federal programs prioritize areas such as broadband expansion, water infrastructure and climate resilience.
The deadline for Community Challenge grants is March 22. AARP says the process isn’t as onerous as traditional grant applications and can be completed online.
Brooke Prouty, director of Uptown Marion – A Main Street Iowa District, helped secure a recent Community Challenge grant for a handful of three-wheeled electric bikes that local residents can rent. She said it helps seniors get outside to enjoy local parks and stay healthy.
“Our community isn’t big enough for a scooter or a bike rental program,” Prouty said. “And so, it’s sort of our turn, to specifically help a population become more mobile.”
With roads and bridges receiving more upgrades from federal funds, Community Challenge leaders hope they will be supplemented by projects such as improved signage.
Since its launch five years ago, the initiative has funded 17 improvement projects in Iowa communities, with an average grant of approximately $10,000.
Disclosure: AARP Iowa contributes to our fund to report on policy and budget priorities, community and volunteer issues, health issues, and seniors’ issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.
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Starting this month, a leadership program in rural North Carolina is helping local organizations implement trauma-informed practices.
Organizers of the Resilient Leaders Initiative explained that their goal is to help residents address the root cause of harm and promote healing.
According to the Center for Healthcare Strategies, a trauma-informed approach includes understanding how traumatic experiences such as abuse and neglect, displacement from natural disasters, and community violence affect physical and mental health.
Vichi Jagannathan, program director for the Resilient Leaders Initiative and co-founder of the Rural Opportunity Institute, said policies to address trauma may be different in rural areas.
“Even when we try to see what trauma-informed discipline or policing looks like, quite often the solutions we find don’t quite work in our context because of our unique challenges,” said stressed Jagannathan. “Part of the goal is to help organizations develop new practices.”
Last year, Edgecombe and Wilson County Public Schools, Word Tabernacle Church’s Pre-K Program and Greater is Coming Ministries participated in the program’s first cohort. According to a study by the North Carolina Institute of Medicine, more than half of North Carolina residents report experiencing some form of childhood trauma.
Jagannathan noted that the COVID-19 crisis has shone a light on the importance of promoting resilience and healing, especially as communities and local economies struggle to recover from the pandemic.
“We just know that we are not the only rural community that suffers from these kinds of challenges,” Jagannathan stressed. “But there’s just no knowledge base and there’s certainly no network where we all share what works.”
She added that there are resources available for rural groups looking to incorporate a trauma-informed approach into their daily work.
“We have the ability to just offer coaching,” Jagannathan pointed out, “So even if they can’t go through this nine-month process that’s about to start, there are opportunities to connect with a network of coaches across the country who have expertise in this area.”
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