Earlier this week, residents returned to their homes on Galveston Island for the first time since Hurricane Ike roared through the Texas coast. For many families, they came home to a scene of devastation, destruction, and loss. Please join me in praying that God would give them hope for the future, wisdom as to what to do next, and strength for the long hard days ahead.

One of our teammates, Tim Peters, takes applications for Blue Roofs in Texas.

Returning home is the first step towards recovering from this challenging event. Their return would not be possible if not for the efforts of hundreds of dedicated men and women of our Corps Family across the nation who so worked hard with our federal, state, and local partners. Together, we installed generators to provide critical power, delivered life-sustaining ice and water, and provided valuable temporary roofing and debris removal services and expertise.

We've contracted crews and more than 80 trucks to help clear interstate of debris.

To the volunteers who deployed to assist our Galveston teammates, and those back at home who carried a little more weight to continue your missions, I'm grateful for your hard work and determination. It's moments and days like these that highlight why I am so honored to be a part of this great family.

We still have a long way to go to fully recover from Hurricanes Ike, Gustav and Katrina, but days like today serve as a reminder that together we can overcome anything! Keep on BUILDING STRONG.

Best,

Van

Building Strong!