Let’s Help Houston

In response to the devastation Hurricane Harvey caused in Houston, we sent our customers this email on September 2, 2017 to share options for supporting the city in this time of need.

My name’s Raleigh, and I work on the Customer Experience team here at Tuft & Needle. A native Houstonian, I packed up my “y’alls” and J.J. Watt jersey and moved to Phoenix, Arizona a year and a half ago.

Since moving to the desert, I’ve missed a lot of holidays, birthdays, and get-togethers with my family. I’ve missed outings on 19th Street in the Heights, and countless drives through the beautiful backroads in the greater Houston area.

I’ve missed too many taco dates at Torchy’s Tacos.

However, nothing has been more impactful for me than not being able to be present in Texas to physically help others in need during the tragic floods of Hurricane Harvey. Seeing the city I grew up in experience such devastation is a shot to the heart, and it’s terribly difficult to put into words the sympathy I have for the families that are going through this hardship.

The city of Houston has seen an overwhelming number of folks looking to donate, volunteer and help in any way they can. The sense of community that has come out of this tragedy has reminded me truly how great the citizens of the city of Houston are — though I didn’t need much of a reminder — and the power of banding together.

This is especially meaningful for the Houstonians, like me, that find themselves far from home. It is easy to get lost in the feeling of not knowing how best to help. To overcome that, I wanted to pass along some links to a few of the amazing local groups working to get Houston back on their feet:

• Bread of Life
  Bread of Life works with the homeless in Houston. In the wake of Harvey’s destruction, Bread of Life is putting funds toward assisting displaced families.
• Houston Food Bank
  Long after the first few months of restoration, Houston will still be in need of food donations as families start to piece their lives back together. The Houston Food Bank is “in it for the long haul.”
• Greater Houston Community Foundation
  Dedicated to connecting donors to impactful charities, the GHCF has a long history of working with communities that have been devastated by natural disasters. They are collecting a relief fund to help start the rebuilding process.
• Texas Diaper Bank
  The Texas Diaper Bank is looking for donations of any brand and any size baby diapers, pull-ups, adult diapers, formula, and wipes. They are primarily in need of the larger sizes of diapers, pull-ups, and adult diapers.
• Don’t forget about our furry friends — the ASPCA will need some help as they rescue displaced pets and re-home them in the months to come.

If you find yourself in Houston without a place to stay, check out these free AirBnB listings.

While we don’t have the resources to support each individual affected by the hurricane, Tuft & Needle has teamed up with a few of the amazing local organizations that are working to support relief efforts.

We’ve committed $100,000 to support Houston — starting with an immediate $25,000 donation to Bread of Life — followed by providing support where needed through mattress donations. Thanks to some of our generous supply partners, we’re able to stretch that dollar amount further.

While Tuft & Needle is actively working to contribute to local efforts and donations in the city, we wouldn’t be able to do that without customers like you. Thank you for being a part of the Tuft & Needle family and for helping us bring comfort and rest to the people of Houston, TX.

Stay strong, Houston. We’ve got your back.

Raleigh & The Team @ T&N