Plumbing repairs focus of Waco partnership with nonprofits in wake of winter storm | Local Govt. and Politics

“I had a point where I had to break up with the girls. I said, “I can’t do this on my own,” said McCauley.

John Alexander, director of Waco Habitat for Humanity, said the reformulated repair program was intended for emergencies, primarily to repair water pipes and restore people’s water service. Insurance or disaster relief from federal agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, should play the largest role in funding repairs.

“We hope that People’s Insurance or FEMA can meet these needs,” said Alexander.

McCauley said she still needs to fix broken pipes and water damage in her kitchen. She said she was surprised to learn that her National Lloyds Insurance plan didn’t cover this.

“They had to rip the strip off the house and we still have to figure out what to do next,” said McCauley.

Jesus Said Love and Antioch donated food and water, and Magnolia and the city of Waco provided more bottled water Thursday. McCauley said she heard about the repair program from Jason Ramos, director of the Impact Waco ministries in Antioch.

By Thursday, one day after launch, Waco Habitat for Humanity had received a full application that was converted to the city, Alexander said.

“Habitat did a lot of work along the coast from the hurricanes, and of course these are on a larger scale,” said Alexander. “You get a lot more donations, the scope of the projects was much bigger. For Waco Habitat, this is the first emergency response we’ve ever carried out. “