The United Way of Denton County received a $50,000 grant from the Hearst Foundation to be used for its winter storm Emergency Relief Fund.
Set up in the aftermath of February’s Winter Storm Uri, the fund has been used for relocation and meals for displaced individuals, support for local non-profits and assistance with residents’ housing and property repairs.
Many residents have applied for assistance with broken pipes and other plumbing issues. The emergency fund has been used to restore water to some who have been without it for weeks. The need for plumbing assistance quickly outpaced what available relief funds could cover with more than 65 residents applying, according to United Way.
The Hearst Foundation grant allows United Way to partner with a property management company that has relationships with plumbing contractors. The organization is now also able to connect with grassroots volunteers to assist with the plumbing repairs initiative.
“Like so many events in the past year, the Texas winter storm hit our most vulnerable neighbors the hardest,” President and CEO Gary Henderson said in a news release. “We are grateful to the Hearst Foundation, our business partners, and these dedicated volunteers for giving us the ability to get sanitary living conditions back for these Denton County residents.”
United Way formed a partnership with the Denton Noon Rotary to further aid the local business sector with financial and physical assistance.
Denton County residents can apply for the Emergency Relief Fund here. Other local, state and federal resources for those affected by Winter Storm Uri can be found here.
Featured Image: A UNT student walks through campus after the snowfall from Winter Storm Uri on Feb. 15, 2021. Image by Ricardo Vazquez Garcia