building community & preparedness1/27/2025 Following the recent Winter Storm Enzo (January 20), Rev. Caroline Hamilton-Arnold (Associate Director for Domestic Disaster Response) shared a story and update from one of Week of Compassion's long-standing partners in the Houston TX area. While Week of Compassion did not directly fund the winterization work this year, Hurricane Harvey recovery grants helped build the resilience and preparedness infrastructure and the 'hub house' network. We contributed to the plumbing repairs on several houses dually impacted by Harvey and the 2021 Winter Storm. Week of Compassion is grateful to partner with groups like West Street Recovery (WSR), who are building cultures of community preparedness at a neighborhood level, through both material and relational interventions. Enjoy this update from our gifted partners (and photos of a Houston snowfall!)... Dear Friends, Allies, and Supporters, It seems like a major winter storm is now an annual occurrence in Houston. Winter Storm Enzo is historic in terms of snowfall, but luckily the damage in our community has been very minimal so far. ... ![]() The weather has been kind so far, but we also believe the good news we are hearing is due to our work this past week and in the last few years. Since Winter Storm Uri (2021), we have invested heavily in winter weather resilience. Since that terrible storm, we have repiped dozens of homes with freeze resistant PEX. Almost every house with significant damage from freezes [the last four winters] was fully repiped with modern flexible plumbing. In addition we have insulated pipes in so many other homes. In late December we hosted a "Pipe Wrap Day", and with the help of many community members, and with a little follow up in the last week of the year we insulated the pipes on over 30 homes. ![]() These 'house hardening' interventions are just one part of building a culture of preparedness. This winter WSR and the Northeast Action Collective (NAC) have used our hub houses to distribute over 90 small heaters that will keep families warm throughout this cold snap. In the lead up to the storm we staged solar chargeable batteries, stoves, hand warmers, bottled water and first aid supplies at 10 locations across the city, mostly in NE Houston but also in Sunnyside and Denver Harbor. Hub captains and assistants called their rosters and reminded them to cut off water at the main, and we messaged the NAC chat with instructions on how to do so. Finally, as the storm approached, one of our captains has been ill. We are really proud that we were able to coordinate distribution from her hub despite this. That is the sort of operational continuity that we have been working to build. For now, we are holding up. Enjoy the snow. Weather can be terrifying, but it is also a wonder and a source of curiosity, beauty and joy. Especially if you are prepared. ![]() With love, WSR Comments are closed.
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