UNLOCKING FAMILY
EQUIPPING COMMUNITIES, ONE FAMILY AT A TIME The Houston area suffered a surprisingly powerful blow from a series of storms that came to be known as the Tax Day Floods of 2016 that left much of our community under water. Thousands of our neighbors' lives were negatively impacted by the rising waters. However, true to form, Houston and her citizens rose to great heights to help their neighbors - no one was a stranger. In response to the great need of fellow citizens, GCCSA deployed members of our Community Outreach Team to aid in efforts to reach those in some of the most affected areas. Partnering with Harvest Time Community Church, H-Town Cares and the M.O. Campbell Educational Center, GCCSA distributed donated clothing and 120 bags of Emergency food from the GCCSA Food Pantry. GCCSA also worked diligently to stabilize those who were unable to go back to homes rendered uninhabitable. One such home housed the family of Katrell Quillens. A mother of four, ranging in age from 7 to 13, Katrell had never suffered a complete loss like this before. Having family who evacuated from Hurricane Katrina, she did however have some insight on what it meant to live through a natural disaster. The Quillens lost everything - house, car, clothes, computer, books, photos, furniture...everything. Not being able to work because she's on disability, Katrell was not certain if the next birthday for her eldest child would be in a place they could call home. Not sure what to do next but with a deep faith, Katrell made contact with GCCSA through the shelter where they initially stayed. With our help, and through a partnership with Hilton Furniture & Mattress and Gallery Furniture, the Quillens Family was one of 14 families who received a house full of new furniture to replace what they had lost! In addition, GCCSA provided emergency food and rental assistance.
"Thanks to GCCSA's assistance, I was able to re-focus on others - encouraging my children, aiding my mom and the elderly members of my family."
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