Friends, I am grieving with you for the situation we are in here in Texas. Although we are safe and I am very thankful for that, I know that many of you are struggling with frozen or burst pipes, freezing temperatures, and inability to get supplies or groceries. It breaks my heart to see the suffering and even deaths that are happening around our beautiful state. I wanted to lay out some places that you can find relief or help if you are dealing with any of the scenarios above. If you have more to add to this list, please let us know so we can keep it updated: 

-The Mercy Chefs: This is an awesome organization that comes into disaster areas and distributes nourishing hot meals to disaster victims. Gateway Church has partnered with them, and they have begun distributing meals on 2/19. You can donate funds to help the effort, volunteer your time to help serve (you don’t have to have cooking experience), or find assistance for yourself at their website HERE.

-Austin Disaster Relief Fund: They are collecting funds to distribute to those in need, and also putting together relief teams to cleanup after the massive winter storm damage. They are collecting items such as gift cards, as well as physical items like blankets and supplies. You can volunteer your time, or request help HERE. 

-Sharon Says So Needs Spreadsheet: Sharon is a government teacher and humanitarian that has put together a list of needs from individuals in Texas. If you are in need of help, you can provide your need and contact on the spreadsheet, and you’ll be matched with others who can meet your need. Sharon has done another one of these fundraisers before, and has been vetted by multiple news outlets and charities. The money will go directly from you to the person in need. Find the spreadsheet HERE. 

-FEMA Assistance: If your home has been damaged or you have property damage, you may qualify for disaster assistance. FEMA has been approved to help homeowners and renters in 77 counties. If you have insurance, FEMA can still cover the gap or things that your insurance won’t cover. Be sure to take plenty of photos of the damage when it is safe to return to your property (if you are able). Apply for assistance HERE. 

-Tarrant Area Food bank: The TAFB helps the Fort Worth area by connecting food distributions to various charities and centers who can get it to those who are hungry. For many people, the power outages, lost wages, and spoiled food are more than they can compensate for. You can locate your nearest food bank HERE or find resources if you are homebound and cannot leave your residence. 

(Please note that none of these organizations are directly affiliated with Paula Goforth Photography, and we cannot vouch for all of them. We simply wanted to provide a list of places you can try for assistance. Please do your due diligence in donating to the organizations)