As east Texas citizens recover from hurricane Beryl, disaster relief groups are providing aid to those affected. One small group from Chester, Texas, is led by one stay-at-home-mom and her faith.
Kim Glawson: I try to serve people with compassion and a smile on my face because sometimes you don’t get that. And I feel like they need to be talked to. I mean, these are not cattle that you’re rustling through here. These are people that just went through a traumatic experience, and they need to feel that you care. And I actually care.
Kim Glawson has been providing disaster relief since hurricane Harvey in 2017. After seeing the effects of the storm in her community, she decided she needed to help. She leads iServe 365, a crisis response and disaster relief group for citizens of south Texas and Louisiana. Glawson and her family have been active with recent summer storms, providing relief to hundreds of families.
Kim Glawson: Most of the time they need help with patience and not panic. A lot of times they need help filling out for FEMA because nobody knows what to do and they don’t know how to do it. And, it just depends on what kind of storm it was. So, if it’s a tornado and not flooding, they’re going to need more things like tarp and chainsaws and things like that, you know, and rebuilding. But if it’s, like, hurricane and flooding, that’s different, you know. They need everything.
Glawson focuses on getting people back on their feet after disasters, even if it’s in small ways.
Kim Glawson: Some of this stuff may not be essential, like, I gave out bug spray and shampoo and conditioner and things like that. It’ll also help people save money on these things–hygiene and cleaning supplies. They won’t have to buy that. They can focus on fuel for their generators or water or things like that.
In seven years, iServe365 has assisted thousands of families through the help of Matthew 25: Ministries, an international relief organization that sends Glawson and her group the resources they need. Glawson provides some advice for citizens to be prepared.
Kim Glawson: I would say to always be prepared as far as supplies go. There’s lists all over the internet, go find one and use it. Afterwards, just don’t lose hope. A lot of people will lose hope when they lose their whole house, you know? And that’s devastating to people. And it’s hard to just get started back to rebuilding. Keep it in your mind that these are all just material things and as long as you don’t lose your life, you’re very blessed.
Hundreds of families were left without power and water in the wake of hurricane Beryl. Many disaster relief groups reacted to help Texas citizens, but Glawson notes that many of these groups tend to avoid smaller towns and communities.
Kim Glawson: A lot of organizations will run to the bigger cities, so I try to help the ones that are not getting very much help at all, and I stay until I feel like they’re good. There’s so many other organizations a whole lot bigger than me that go to the bigger cities. So, I feel that I’m more needed in the smaller communities.
Glawson says iServe365 relies on donations and volunteer work. Through the help of Peach Tree Baptist Church and her children, Glawson says she is able to spread hope.
Kim Glawson: Disaster relief is just a whole other animal. During hurricane Harvey we would get needs coming in. So, we was [sic.] getting supplies from all over the United States. This one time, we had size ten boots needed; they lost them in the flood. And, the very next car that pulled up with donations had a box, a brand new pair of size ten boots. It gives people more hope that things are going to just be okay.
As iServe365 grows, Glawson hopes they will be able to have access to more resources that most people don’t think about, such as vehicles containing free showers and washing machines. Glawson says her faith leads her in her work.
Kim Glawson: iServe is about being the hands and feet of Jesus. He is who I do it for.
This is Alaina Atnip with Red River Radio news.