Episcopal Relief and Development Flood Relief Partnership in San Angelo

In response to historic July 4 flooding in San Angelo and Tom Green County, the Diocese of Northwest Texas, in partnership with Emmanuel Episcopal Church and with support from Episcopal Relief & Development, successfully implemented a targeted emergency cash assistance response to meet urgent survivor needs. ERD provided an initial grant of $18,000. When combined with a flood relief offering by members of Emmanuel, there was nearly $24,000 available. Through a structured referral process coordinated with the United Way of the Concho Valley, Emmanuel delivered $12,200 in direct cash and voucher assistance to households experiencing severe flood impacts, limited insurance coverage, and compounding vulnerabilities. All assisted households met multiple vulnerability criteria, including disability or medical needs, presence of elderly or young children, denial of FEMA assistance, unemployment or fixed income, and/or displacement or unsafe housing conditions. Several households were living in homes requiring significant repairs, temporary rentals, or doubled up with friends or family, underscoring the severity of unmet needs.

Following the completion of the initial emergency cash assistance activities, a balance of $5,800 remains from the original $18,000 grant, after $12,200 was expended. These remaining funds will be rolled over into a $150,000 2026 Long-Term Recovery grant and will be used specifically to continue funding unmet needs cases.

A generous and well-qualified group from Emmanuel comprises the flood relief team. Jr. Warden Don Dunbar leads the team, with staff assistance from Parish Administrator Andrew Gutierrez. Ellen Inman, Elizabeth Kitch, Wendy Powell, and Rick Tinsley received training in case management and are carrying out that work in the flood relief effort, which would not be anywhere near as dynamic or well organized without the support of, and funding from, Episcopal Relief and Development. We are particularly grateful for the help and support from Race Hodges, who serves at ERD in the role of Program Officer, Global Disaster Response & Resilience.