Hurricane Harvey may not have hit Santa Clarita directly, but residents are stepping up to assist in the relief efforts underway in east Texas.

Between midnight Friday and 9:20 a.m. Tuesday, 49.20 inches of rain fell in Texas — a record for the continental U.S. from a landfalling tropical cyclone, said the National Weather Service.

Related: Hurricane Harvey Devastates Texas, Santa Clarita Residents Can Help With Relief Efforts

CNN reported that the massive hurricane has already dumped 11 trillion gallons of rain by Monday morning, with an estimated 25 trillion gallons expected to be unleashed by the time it dissipates.

On that same CNN report, authorities stated that nearly 13 million people people are under flood watch warnings, and 3400 water rescues have been undertaken in Houston as of Tuesday.

With all the destruction and displacement occurring throughout east Texas and the southern part of the country, communities around the United States have stepped up to assist in any way possible, not excluding Santa Clarita.

The Santa Clarita Disaster Coalition, a nonprofit organization that assisted in Hurricane Katrina relief in 2005, are considering numerous options to assist in the disaster relief efforts.

“While we can’t do anything until the flood waters drain, we understand that Houston has $10 billion set aside for disaster relief and recovery, but the smaller communities might not be able to tap into those funds,” said Diane Green, co-founder of the Santa Clarita Disaster Coalition. “But one of the things we want to do is something focused around schools, small communities and children.”

Related: SCV Realtors Give $1,500 To SCV Disaster Coalition

Following Hurricane Rita — the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane that devastated communities along the Gulf Coast — the Disaster Coalition worked with schools and communities in the area, helping to restore libraries.

“In spring of 2006, we did a community-wide book drive,” said Green. “We collected 100,000 books and they were delivered by Camelot movers.”

Another idea to assist schools that Green is considering includes connecting retired Santa Clarita teachers with teachers and classrooms that have been distressed by the natural disaster.
“We’re going to bring in a lot of retired teachers from the Santa Clarita Valley and find out ways to assist in the classroom,” said Green. “I don’t know where school supplies fall in the pecking order of disaster relief funds, but we’re going to try and help them with that.”

One of the communities Green would like to help is the town of Katy, Texas, where all three schools in the area (elementary, junior high and high school) were destroyed by Hurricane Harvey.

Green is also considering helping Santa Clarita faith-based organizations and families connect with other faith-based organizations and families affected by Hurricane Harvey.

“Just like how churches during the holidays pair up a family that does not make a lot of money with another family that can help financially with presents and food, we want to help those same faith-based organizations reach out to the smaller communities and connect families with families,” said Green.

But as of now the Santa Clarita Disaster Coalition is still assessing the direct role they can play in the disaster relief.

“No one is going to know for a month or two what (the) damage is,” continued Green. “But once we know how we can help, we’re going to do community-wide events with the assistance of Camelot movers who donated trucks and boxes.”

As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, all donations made to the Santa Clarita Disaster Coalition are tax deductible. Check donations can be mailed or dropped off at KHTS AM-1220, located at 24320 Main Street in Newhall.

“In the memo section, just put ‘Hurricane Harvey,’ and we’re going to make sure that that money is put to really good use,” Green said. “100 percent of the money that we receive, whichever way we determine to be the most effective way we can help, will go to (Harvey relief efforts).”

For more information about the Santa Clarita Disaster Coalition, visit here.

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