Hope After the Flood: Communities United

Center Point, Texas, a small, unincorporated community on the banks of the Guadalupe River, sits eight miles southeast of Kerrville in southeastern Kerr County. Though more than forty miles from where the flooding began, Center Point still suffered the effects of the powerful wave that swept through Hunt, Kerrville, and Ingram.

“I had heard that the volunteer fire department was almost completely destroyed, and there were specific donations they were requesting,” shared Steve Huerta, Director of Gifts-in-Kind at Children’s Hunger Fund.

Passing by the school district offices and spotting first responder vehicles, Steve decided to stop. He introduced himself to a man there and explained that he had brought a donation of work boots.

“He proceeded to tell me to drop off the donations down the road for the community, but I told him we wanted these to go directly to the first responders. He smiled and told us to take them to an office, and he would meet us there. He asked what sizes and mentioned 9.5. When we were unloading, I found two size 9.5 boots and gave them to him.

“When we came back with more cases, he was trying on the boots I gave him. He was smiling and said that his feet had been killing him. He was so thankful for these new boots and knew the rest of his team and others would be blessed. We dropped off like 50 pairs.

“We prayed with him, and he prayed for us before we proceeded to Kerrville. What a blessing it was to serve those serving so many. And so humble, thinking of others before themselves. His name was Bob Walton.”

Last week, our San Antonio team made multiple trips to Kerrville, delivering water, clothing, diapers, cleaning supplies, toys, snacks, and hygiene items. With an office just 85 miles from Hunt, the disaster hit close to home for many of our team members. Steve’s son took piano lessons in Center Point every week. Our photographer, Frankie Rodriguez, shared a heartfelt reflection:

“I live in Texas. I camp, I run, I spend time with my family in the Hill Country. Kerrville is home to my favorite coffee shop.

But this week, everything looked different.

I stood in places I’ve walked a hundred times before—but this time, I was looking up at trees, knowing that families and children would have been wading far beneath the waterline just days ago.

It’s strange how festive the towns still looked—churches and homes dressed up for the 4th of July—while just around the corner, search teams and volunteers were navigating checkpoints, wading through the devastation. Hunt, Texas, has become the center of the response.”

The Children’s Hunger Fund team joined a local church distributing food to first responders. They shared stories of a community coming together to serve, families arriving to help, and trucks filled with donations. The city had so much donated product that they began storing it for long-term relief. In the midst of their pain, these communities have shown their strength and their resilience.

We’re incredibly grateful for the generous donations from our partners: Convoy of Hope, Grace and Peace Church, Chef Bobo, Jakks Pacific, Unipak Design, and Delivering Good.

In times of crisis, when communities are overwhelmed and people are hurting, the local church stands as a beacon of hope. Through the faithful compassion of pastors and volunteers, families in need are given practical help and introduced to the lasting hope of the gospel. The church’s presence brings comfort, dignity, and the reminder that God has not forgotten those who suffer.

As we respond to urgent needs, let us continue to equip and empower churches to be the hands and feet of Christ. Join us in supporting this vital work by donating to emergency relief efforts.