Houston After the Storm
A native Houstonian, Dena moved to New York days before Hurricane Harvey hit her home.
As I sat watching the news and kept track of all of the incoming texts from my friends and family in Houston, my heart sank deeper and deeper into the ground. I had left Houston two days prior and there was nothing I could do to help my community except send words of encouragement that had no place, because without being there, I couldn’t comprehend the extent of the damage. I quickly realized how catastrophic Hurricane Harvey was to the city I called home as my friends and family either put their homes on the market, or, being tied to the lives they had built, put all of their resources to repairing and raising their homes to try and deter future damage. This was the third flood in three years for so many people, so what were we supposed to do now?
I jumped at the opportunity to attend Act Now Houston because I had been looking for a way to give back to the community that had given me so much, but I could never have predicted how meaningful the trip would be. Before embarking on this journey, I had an unrealistic expectation of how far along the city would be in repairs. I expected the trash piles I had seen in November to finally be gone, and I figured that everyone would have begun repairs already, because why would they not? It had been 8 months already. Newsflash, the trash was still there and so many homes had gone untouched thus far. My ignorance stemmed from a life experience in which everyone I knew had already been able to begin or even finish reparations. Unfortunately, this was not the case for many neighborhoods in Houston. Northeast Houston, the part of town that we were working in throughout the weekend, was not an area that I had spent much, if any, time in. This experience was truly eye-opening.
The moment that struck me the most came when we were canvassing to see who still needed assistance on Sunday morning with BakerRipley, a non-profit organization in Houston that has done so much good for the community. We were going door-to-door in a neighborhood with one of the lowest average socioeconomic statuses in the city. This is a neighborhood that was devastated by Hurricane Harvey, and largely had yet to receive aid. We heard stories of people being told they would get aid and then never hearing from anyone again, we saw houses with walls torn out and mold growing, that people weren’t able to leave because they had nowhere else to go, and we listened as people recounted the items that had been stolen by people that claimed they were there to help. The part that really struck me though was that through all of this, the mold and the theft and the lack of assistance, people still had hope that it would get done. Even in the face of disaster, we met people who had taken the time to help out their neighbors, even though their own homes had been destroyed, and this overwhelming sense of community is something I witnessed throughout the city of Houston.
I found myself getting emotional throughout the weekend as the enormity of what had happened was finally hitting me. Although I may not be able to continue helping the Houston community rebuild just yet, I will be returning soon. In the meantime, I am taking with me a desire to do more, inspired by the pride I have from being a Houstonian. If individuals that lost their homes can put that aside to help their neighbors, then I can do a whole lot more than I’m doing now. Many people don’t realize the extent of the work conducted by disaster relief organizations; before this trip, I definitely did not. I could not have imagined the work we would be doing in Houston, but I am so grateful for every experience I had throughout this weekend with Moishe House. Thanks to Act Now Houston, I have a greater understanding of what Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, means, and how I want to see it play out in my everyday life.
Moishe House is returning to Houston this June for its second service learning retreat as there is still so much work to be done. Limited spots are available so apply today!
Dena Lipper is a native Texan, currently living and working in Brooklyn, New York as a member of Avodah: The Jewish Service Corps. She loves spending as much time outside as possible, with her friends by her side. Dena will be moving back to Houston, Texas in August to pursue her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Houston. Dena is passionate about social justice, dogs, and all-you-can-eat sushi.
