Disaster response in Galveston depends on effective coordination among nonprofit organizations and access to flexible, well-managed funding.
United Way of Galveston primarily serves Galveston Island and works in partnership with organizations across Galveston County to support coordinated disaster response and recovery efforts.
For more than a century, United Way of Galveston has served as a trusted convener of nonprofit and community partners, particularly during times of crisis.
This work focuses on strengthening coordination across the nonprofit community and ensuring resources can be deployed effectively when disasters occur.
Official Emergency Information and Preparedness Resources
During an emergency, rely on official local, county, state, and federal sources for current conditions, alerts, evacuation instructions, and safety guidance.
- City of Galveston Office of Emergency Management
- Sign up for City of Galveston Island Alerts
- City of Galveston Emergency Preparedness Information
- Galveston County Office of Emergency Management Updates
- Galveston County Emergency Notification Information
- National Hurricane Center
- 2-1-1 Texas – Dial 2-1-1 for information about local services and disaster-related assistance.
Coordinating Nonprofit Response: Galveston Disaster Response Network
When a crisis affects Galveston, nonprofit, faith-based, and community-serving organizations are often already connected to the people most affected. These organizations know their neighborhoods, understand local needs, and frequently become a first point of contact for families, clients, staff, and volunteers seeking help.
The Galveston Disaster Response Network is being developed to strengthen how these organizations connect, communicate, and coordinate before and during disasters.
This is not a new emergency management system, and it does not replace the role of local government, public safety, or emergency management partners. It is a nonprofit coordination effort designed to help community-serving organizations stay connected, understand available capacity, identify gaps, and support a more organized response when conditions change quickly.
Our focus is practical:
- Build and maintain a current contact list for nonprofit, faith-based, and community-serving organizations
- Understand which organizations provide essential services before, during, and after disasters
- Identify available capacity, limitations, and potential gaps
- Strengthen communication among organizations during times of disruption
- Support coordinated, safe, and effective nonprofit response
- Improve shared understanding of Galveston’s nonprofit disaster response landscape
Every organization brings different strengths and connections and has its own responsibilities and boundaries. The Network is designed to help partners coordinate more easily while respecting each organization’s mission, capacity, staffing, safety considerations, and decision-making.
Organizations serving Galveston are invited to complete the Galveston Disaster Response Network Intake Form. The information collected will help United Way of Galveston better understand services, contacts, communication preferences, and potential coordination needs before a disaster occurs.
Complete the Disaster Response Network Intake Form to be included in coordination efforts.
Supporting Community Recovery: Galveston County Recovery Fund
The Galveston County Recovery Fund (GCRF) was established in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike through a collaboration of local philanthropic partners, including the Harris and Eliza Kempner Fund, the Mary Moody Northen Endowment, the Moody Foundation, and the Permanent Endowment Fund of Moody Methodist Church, to create a coordinated, community-based approach to disaster response and recovery in Galveston County.
The scale and complexity of recovery following Hurricane Ike made clear the need for a structured way to align philanthropic resources with nonprofit-led response efforts. GCRF was formed to meet that need, providing a central mechanism to receive, manage, and distribute funds in support of the organizations serving the community.
Since its formation, United Way of Galveston has served as the fiscal agent and fund administrator for GCRF, stewarding funds and managing distributions to ensure resources are directed in alignment with identified community needs.
The Fund has been activated in response to multiple disasters, including Hurricane Harvey, the COVID-19 pandemic, Winter Storm Uri, and Hurricane Beryl. In each instance, GCRF has supported nonprofit organizations providing critical services to individuals and families impacted by disaster.
When activated, funding decisions are informed by coordination with nonprofit partners and local stakeholders and guided by the Fund’s philanthropic partners, with United Way of Galveston serving in a fiscal and administrative role, helping ensure resources are directed where they are needed most.
Learn more about the Galveston County Recovery Fund: https://galvestoncountyrecoveryfund.org/
