KERRVILLE, Texas — The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country has raised $150 million and distributed about $82 million in recovery assistance one year after the July 4, 2025, floods that killed more than 130 people and devastated communities across the Texas Hill Country, the foundation’s chief executive officer, Austin Dickson, said.
The foundation launched a relief fund in the days after the flooding as donations arrived from across the United States. The organization directed the money toward emergency relief and long-term recovery efforts for affected families and communities.
Dickson said the anniversary reflects both the losses suffered by the community and the progress made during the recovery. He said he also lost loved ones in the disaster.
“You can be in grief and you can also be hopeful at the same time, and that’s very much where I am personally,” Dickson said. “I’m hopeful because there’s been so much generosity towards our community, and the Community Foundation has been able to translate that into results.”
The flooding destroyed hundreds of homes, businesses and public spaces, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in Texas history.
Dickson said the foundation awarded $15 million to more than 50 local nonprofit organizations within 45 days of the flooding. The grants supported direct financial assistance for survivors and crisis response services during the initial phase of recovery.
As emergency needs declined, the foundation shifted its focus to long-term recovery.
Dickson said about one-third of all grant funding has supported housing assistance. The funding has helped families rebuild homes, complete repairs or relocate. He said 130 individuals and families have returned to their homes, while another 98 households are moving into permanent housing. He said the foundation expects those remaining households to secure permanent housing within the next year.
“Stable housing provides routine for kids and families,” Dickson said. “It provides an ability to go back to work, it provides an ability to focus on one’s grief and one’s mental health.”
Dickson said a January assessment found that adults and children who survived the flooding were three to four times more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder. In response, the foundation funded the Hill Country Mental Health and Developmental Disability Centers to provide free access to licensed therapists and clinicians through July.
The foundation also funded counseling services through nonprofit organizations, including the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas, New Hope Counseling, the Ecumenical Center in San Antonio and the Lucine Center in Houston.
“We have invested in nonprofit organizations like the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas, as well as local organizations like New Hope Counseling, the Ecumenical Center out of San Antonio and the Lucine Center out of Houston to help lend expertise and provide more services,” Dickson said.
Dickson said the foundation has intentionally retained nearly half of the money raised because community recovery will continue over several years.
The foundation continues to fund mental health services, including trauma and grief training for school staff and emergency responders. It also supports projects to rebuild parks, community centers and other public facilities damaged by the flooding. In addition, the organization has allocated $10 million to a readiness and resilience fund intended to strengthen disaster preparedness across the region.
The foundation has published a list of grant recipients, award amounts and grant purposes on its Rebuild Kerr website.
