Methodist churches help residents recover from hurricane
The retired
Joined on the roof by several other volunteers wearing neon yellow T-shirts, they all weigh in on the best course of action.
They decide to cover most of the roof with a layer of thick green tarp.
This is the 60th home Graham has worked on with
As a volunteer leader of the early response teams, the 67-year-old
"We've all kind of learned on the job," he said.
Most of the volunteers on his team come from Westlake United Methodist and Tarrytown United Methodist churches in
Graham started volunteering in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina struck his home state of
His wife usually sends him with quilts to give families with small children.
Other
That mission means a lot to
The home he's lived in his whole life was damaged by Harvey and the
In addition to roof repairs, he hopes to repair the shed outside and replace his water-damaged couch.
"I fixed what I could," said Lopez, gripping the crutches he uses to get around.
The disability checks he and his brother receive don't leave much for repairs.
Mourning the death of another brother, Lopez said he appreciates that help came when it did.
"I'm just grateful to be alive and warm," he said. "I have a lot of faith in God. Whatever I need, He'll provide for me."
For the past five months,
More than 600 volunteers have stayed at
Disaster Recovery Director
The church found out about a woman who was living in a shed with no electricity.
"That's why case management is so important," Leaverton said. "There's a lot of resources that people don't know about."
Area homeless advocate
More than 19,000 have applied for
"It's not going to be a fast process, but we've made some headway," she said.
Pickens has heard from survivors who haven't asked for help because they think that others need assistance more than they do.
"You have to be a good listener and listen to what they are saying," she said.
Pickens said the
"Sometimes the clients just want to vent," she said. "They don't have to walk that road by themselves."
Senior Pastor
But some estimate that disaster recovery could last up to five years.
The first rebuild teams arrived this month to help homeowners with permanent repairs.
Many residents still have tarps and are still trying to figure out how to pay for repairs, he said.
"You think you're OK, and then it rains," he said.
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