Mutual Aid, Mutual Respect

In the aftermath of extreme flooding and extensive property damage during the summer of 2025, many residents of Burnet and Llano counties found themselves in urgent need of safe housing. 

In this episode of Into the Fold, we speak with Dawn Capra, Director of Housing Advocacy at the Texas Housing Foundation. She describes how well-coordinated and respectful cooperation between community organizations supported both the logistical needs and emotional well-being of displaced residents. 

Emergency Response 

“The first thing we did was ensure people were placed in a safe environment,” says Dawn. “It was all about getting people to safety, which in general meant placing people in motel rooms to get them out of danger.” 

The Texas Housing Foundation (THF) then worked to find stable, temporary housing for people impacted by the floods. Their ultimate goal was to find ways to get people back into their original homes or provide them with a new residential RV. 

Restoring stable housing played a central role in addressing uncertainty and increased emotional stress. But the recovery efforts went beyond logistics. It also aimed to restore dignity and hope to people experiencing potentially overwhelming stress, by recognizing the need for mental health support as well as housing support. 

“This flood really put a spotlight on how much housing affects your mental health if you suddenly find yourself without it,” says Dawn. “We realized that people weren’t just displayed displaced physically, but also emotionally.” 

Emotional Impact 

“Although we weren’t mental health professionals, we could see the trauma. It caused life-changing alterations and fear,” says Dawn. “Some people lost everything. They didn’t know what their next steps were going to be. And frankly, they were just in shock.” 

While they aimed to be a calm and confident source of stability as they responded to people’s housing needs, they realized they couldn’t do it alone. 

They coordinated with other community service organizations, including the local mental health authority, Bluebonnet Trails, to refer people in crisis to more comprehensive mental health services. 

Community Coordination 

Coordination among community relief organizations ensured a wide range of needs were addressed as efficiently as possible in the aftermath of the flooding. An essential first step was establishing a central entry point for individuals seeking a wide variety of recovery services. The Ark of Highland Lakes (ARK), a local faith-based organization with an “army of volunteers” took on this role. 

“People impacted by the floods started out at the Ark. They would be directed to the resource provider they needed most urgently, which generally was THF to get temporary housing or emergency shelter,” says Dawn. “From THF, they would be directed to the Salvation Army or other resource providers to get financial assistance or food or anything else.” 

In rural communities, says Dawn, it’s essential to build trust and strong relationships among service organizations, faith-based organizations, and individuals. 

“There’s just not enough money out in rural areas to provide the help that urban centers like Austin, San Antonio, or Dallas can provide. Over the years, we’ve developed relationships that made it possible for us to meet this demand. Cooperation made the recovery possible,” says Dawn. “And acknowledging each other’s areas of expertise helped the recovery go smoother than had we not respected each other’s boundaries.” 

Indeed, THF is now expanding its focus on building relationships with other community organizations. 

“Coalition building ahead of time is huge, even in times when there’s not a disaster,” says Dawn. “We got mentally, physically, emotionally exhausted, but we had each other to rely on.”