University of Houston
IN-24: Innovation A

Many weeks after Hurricane Harvey made landfall and stalled over southeast Texas, buffeting the region with record-shattering rains and historic flooding, Houston is still recovering from one of the worst weather disasters in U.S. history, and the UHcommunity has launched a huge volunteer effort to help repair our city and to offer assistance to those whose homes and whose lives have been upended by the catastrophic storm. UH CARES, Cougar Assisted Relief Efforts launched shortly after Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and was created to mobilize UH volunteers into strategic work teams and to bring the resources of the entire UHfamily to a city that still needs help. The program is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the University. There has been over 1,000 hours of cleanup work by more than 180 dedicated UH students, faculty, staff, and alumni. UH Cares has helped homeowners across the Greater Houston area with gutting home, mold remediation and brining hope to help homeowners who need it the most. The UH community can complete an online form to start getting involved while being mindful of their personal schedules and preferences.