As soon as Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas, it became clear that people would need to band together to help those affected by the storm. But with over 80 deaths, more than one million displaced and hundreds of thousands of homes left damaged, the most powerful hurricane to hit Texas in 50 years has left a lasting mark on the Lone Star State that’s worse than what could have been imagined. And it’s going to take some time for the region—and its residents—to bounce back. In fact, the governor of Texas said that the destruction left behind by Hurricane Harvey could require up to $180 billion to repair. But piece by piece, Texas is beginning to rebuild.
Americans from all across the country have chipped in to raise funds and awareness for those who need help in Texas. Green Home Solutions, for example, is tapping into the power of its 140-plus unit franchise system to make a difference in the region. That’s because the brand’s environmentally friendly services are in high demand following the hurricane—after heavy rains and severe flooding, homes are being filled with mold and other harmful toxins at an alarming rate. While many times traditional home remediation calls for demolition and reconstruction of the mold infected areas, Green Home Solutions provides a more cost effective and timely solution. Its EPA-registered ultra-fine misting system kills not only mold, but the spores that it leaves behind. And because it uses natural, plant-based ingredients to eliminate harmful allergens, toxins and odors, Green Home Solutions has the ability to not only clear homes from the agents currently causing problems, but protect them against other threats in the future.
“When we heard about the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, we knew that we needed to get involved. But what we weren’t expecting was the outpouring of support from our franchisees and employees across the country—people have volunteered to donate their time and resources to help those in need,” said Glen Snyder, chief development officer for Green Home Solutions.
The Green Home Solutions team is currently on the ground in Beaumont, Texas. The brand heard of the damage in the area first-hand—Green Home Solutions board member John Russell has a cousin in the area who is a youth pastor at a church. Through that relationship, the brand was connected with two families who needed to get back into their homes as soon as possible, but unfortunately didn’t have the extra money to remove any mold from their property. So, Green Home Solutions got to work.
“We couldn’t have helped more deserving families. The first home that we helped restore—the mom has cancer and their son has Down syndrome, so they need to live in a healthy environment. And the second family that we helped has an autistic daughter who needed to get back to a more normal routine. In both cases, we were able to disinfect their homes, dry them out and put them back together over the course of a week,” said Russell. “Our top priority going forward is to continue helping families like those who need help getting back on their feet. The conditions down here are horrible—people are sleeping on mattresses that are soaked with contaminated flood water. But with the support and backing of our system and generous volunteers, we know that progress will continue being made.”
Right now, Green Home Solutions’ top priority is making homes livable. It isn’t about getting homes to the exact same shape that they were in before Hurricane Harvey—instead, the focus is on getting homes where they need to be in order for families to safely live in them. And that focus on health begins with what Green Home Solutions brings to the table.
“What makes me so excited about being a part of the Green Home Solutions family is that we can help people when natural disasters like this occur. We aren’t just selling a product—we’re providing a service that truly helps communities and allows families to get back into their homes quickly,” said Jeff Panella, Green Home Solutions’ CEO. “We’ve proven that in Texas. We’ve had boots on the ground since Hurricane Harvey struck—right away, we realized that we had a chance to help people get back on their feet in a way that others can’t. And we’re not planning on going anywhere anytime soon. This is going to be a long road to recovery, but with the support of our franchisees, we’re going to be there for as long we can to donate our products, services, labor and resources in an effort to make a difference.”
Even as Hurricane Harvey fades from the headlines, Green Home Solutions is committed to helping the people of Texas get back into their homes. Together with its franchisees and employees, the brand plans to continue sponsoring families in need and donating its services to ensure that people are able to live in healthy homes for years to come.