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After a week of damage assessments across Hurricane Dolly-affected areas, the White House approved on Thursday federal money to help residents rebuild their lives.
Residents in Cameron, Willacy and Hidalgo counties in South Texas are now eligible for individual assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This includes temporary housing, money for limited home repairs and low-interest loans for rebuilding.
Dolly made landfall on the South Texas coast as a Category 2 hurricane last Wednesday, leaving thousands of residents without electricity and with damaged homes. Governor Rick Perry had made his second appeal on Thursday for FEMA help but the request wasn't granted until preliminary damage assessments were made.
The approval was made days after Christian aid groups moved in to provide relief.
Texas Baptist Men, a group that assists Baptist churches in the Lone Star state, activated five feeding units, shower units, a communications unit and a security unit across three locations in hurricane-devastated areas. The teams have provided nearly 200,000 meals, according to Texas Baptist Communications, while other Texas Baptist units have been ministering throughout the region.
“This disaster has been as much a challenge as the Rita and Katrina responses,” said Gary Smith, TBM’s volunteer disaster relief coordinator. “Because of the diminished magnitude, people have not sensed the need to respond. The needs of the people are as urgent as they were in Rita and Katrina. Texas Baptist Men is in the Valley offering a cold cup of water in Jesus' name.”
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Alongside Baptists, the American Red Cross has partnered with Catholic Charities USA of the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, establishing four bulk distribution sites in the Rio Grande Valley to help meet emergency needs of hurricane victims.
“There is extensive flooding in many of the towns here and we are filling a large need with these bulk distribution sites," said Kim Burgo, senior director of Catholic Charities USA Office of Disaster Response, in a statement. "Numerous mobile home parks and individual dwellings remain under water and there is a great deal of damage in the Colonias, the traditionally low-income communities.”
Hundreds remain without power or shelter, over a week after Dolly hit. Collection sites have been set up to receive donations of water, food, clothes and cash.
