LU Send Now team to be dispatched to southeast Texas for hurricane relief

Liberty University’s LU Send Now disaster relief initiative will dispatch a team to Victoria, Texas, this weekend to assist residents affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Liberty released the following statement to news media:

“Due to the historic catastrophe unfolding in southeastern Texas brought about by Hurricane Harvey, Liberty University is mobilizing an LU Send Now team to leave this Saturday and work alongside Samaritan’s Purse to provide relief and aid to those in Texas. Much of southeastern Texas is still inaccessible due to heavy flooding, but we are hopeful that the floods will recede in the coming days to allow for more volunteers to come and serve those in need.”

The team of 12 Liberty students and staff will leave Saturday, Sept. 2, and return Sept. 9. They will be assisting in flood cleanup and supporting those whose homes have been damaged.

Victoria, in Victoria County, is two hours southwest of Houston. More than 50 counties throughout the region have experienced flooding, and more than 30,000 people have been displaced. Volunteers from Samaritan’s Purse have already been dispatched to affected areas in southeastern Texas where they are handing out supplies to the hardest hit areas.

Hurricane Harvey was declared a Category 4 storm, with winds reaching up to 130 mph. It has now lingered as a tropical storm, dumping heavy rain on the already affected areas. Tuesday marked the fifth day of rainfall. Some areas that are prone to flooding, such as Houston, are predicted to see record rainfall.

Hurricane Harvey was the strongest storm in Texas since 1961′s Hurricane Carla, the most powerful Texas hurricane on record.

This weekend, the Liberty Flames Football team will also be in Texas, playing at Baylor University on Saturday.

Liberty Athletic Director Ian McCaw expressed the wishes of all at Liberty University: “Our hearts and prayers go out to all affected by Hurricane Harvey. We hold all victims of this natural disaster close to our hearts. We are praying for your safety and for your swift recovery.”

If you are interested in supporting the LU Send Now team heading to Texas, visit the LU Send Now website.