Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Sunday July 14 during the second hour of our Sunday meetings, members of the stake presidency, high council, and stake council visited each ward to share a coordinated message about how we are preparing to support flood recovery efforts across the Hill Country. We are deeply grateful for your faith, your questions, and your eagerness to serve.
Below is a summary of what was shared, along with important updates based on new information received since Sunday:
Current Situation
At this time, there are more volunteers than organized cleanup assignments. Local agencies are still assessing needs, and the official response platforms—Texas Community Recovery (TCR) and CrisisCleanup.org—currently have a limited number of posted work orders.
That said, this is expected to change. As damage reports are submitted and verified, we want to be ready. Our stake is focused on building organized teams at the ward level to ensure we can respond quickly when opportunities arise.
Ward Roles
Each ward has a designated Flood Response Coordinator (typically from the Elders Quorum Presidency), supported by the Relief Society and bishop. Their responsibilities include:
Organizing volunteers and equipment
Monitoring job opportunities on the platforms
Coordinating assignments and reporting service outcomes
Real-Time Monitoring & Local Contribution
We ask each ward to assign someone to regularly monitor the following websites for posted service opportunities:
CrisisCleanup.org: https://www.crisiscleanup.org
(Brother Clay Todd, High Council, serves as the stake liaison for this platform)
Texas Community Recovery (TCR): https://tcr.communityos.org
(Brother Jon Wilking, High Council, serves as the stake liaison for this platform)
As jobs become available—especially local ones—coordinators should claim these jobs and organize response teams. Additionally, members in the Kerrville and Boerne Wards are helping by uploading verified local needs into the system to increase available service opportunities.
A JustServe project page for Hill Country Flood Relief has also been created to track opportunities with local organizations and nonprofits supporting flood recovery. Members are encouraged to follow this page as another way to stay informed and get involved:
https://www.justserve.org/CentralTexasFloodRelief
Please note: We are not currently organizing any stake or ward-level donation drives. Local officials and partner agencies have specifically requested that in-kind donations not be collected unless explicitly asked for, as they pose logistical challenges for sorting, storage, and distribution.
If you're eager to serve now, TCR lists several individual volunteer roles, such as helping at community resource sites or sorting donations. These are meaningful ways to contribute while cleanup work continues to ramp up.
Team Organization – Update from Kerr County
Kerr County officials are building a roster of available teams so they can rotate crews in as work expands. This is not yet a call to deploy, but rather a request to organize in advance.
Please complete the appropriate form(s) based on your interest and skills:
Debris Removal Teams: https://forms.gle/R5nvBr3s76SR4sFR9
Chainsaw/Sawyering Teams: https://forms.gle/cqcfV4Qd66yVe1oe6
Volunteer Resource Center (VRC) Operations Teams: https://forms.gle/wdSffPZN8EYu2jF58
Emotional & Spiritual Care Teams: https://forms.gle/3YDLGyEjrY9DnUwE9
This preparation will help ensure respite and rotation support for frontline volunteers as recovery efforts continue over the coming weeks and months.
What You Can Do
Complete the team form(s) above if you are willing to serve.
Stay in touch with your ward coordinator, especially if you are able to:
Serve on a response team
Help monitor platforms for new jobs
Contribute specialty equipment or skills
Be patient and flexible—the need is real, but opportunities will come in waves.
We deeply appreciate the unity, compassion, and willingness you’ve demonstrated. This is sacred work. Much of it occurs quietly and goes unrecognized—but the Lord sees and magnifies every effort to lift His children.
With love and appreciation,
The San Antonio La Cantera Stake Presidency