Dear Members and Friends,
Our hearts go out to the thousands of people impacted by Hurricane Harvey. We are somewhat at a loss as to what to write and how to express our profound sadness for the catastrophic devastation we are experiencing in our city, region and state because of Hurricane Harvey.
As we prepare this communication, water is still rising, hundreds are being rescued, and shelters are overflowing. Our city and county leadership are working desperately around the clock to stabilize critical resources and support systems. We appreciate the tremendous leadership of County Judge Ed Emmett and Mayor Sylvester Turner both working through a strong collaboration for all Houstonians. Thank you to our First Responders, local volunteers and those from all over the county who have arrived on scene to support the rescue efforts. We have truly seen the best of Houston and the region with neighbors helping neighbors, going above and beyond.
We know many of you have been impacted by Hurricane Harvey, whether directly or indirectly. We are in the process of assessing which members have been directly impacted and gathering information to understand immediate needs from those affected. Our goal is to support our members in the coming months with key resources to support business recovery efforts. We have set-up a Chamber Hurricane Resource page on our website. Information from organizations such as the U.S. Small Business Administration and FEMA are included. We will be updating this page on a regular basis as we receive new information. We are updating Chamber social media channels as well on a daily basis.
Two LGBTQ Disaster Relief Funds have been established to support the victims of this catastrophic event. We believe the need will be significant for the LGBTQ community and dedicated resources will be key to insuring that the LGBTQ community is fully and adequately supported during the recovery. Information on the disaster relief funds are location on the Chamber Hurricane Resource page as well.
We have already seen Chamber Members active in rescue and recovery efforts from gathering donations, to delivering food, supplying entertainment at the George R. Brown Convention Center shelter, and beyond. Over the long-term, the Chamber is committed to playing a strong role in recovery efforts with a strong focus on economic recovery. We are committed to supporting our members through this recovery effort. We know that our city will recover and be better and stronger than ever.
We are here to support you. Thank you for all you are doing to support our city and the Greater Houston LGBTQ and allied business community during this challenging time.
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