Major donations pour in for Texas flood relief as death toll reaches 43

As authorities and volunteers continue to search for and assist victims of a devastating flood that swept through a portion of Texas, various groups and celebrities have committed donations to charities in the area.

On Saturday, Shakira, the Colombian singer-songwriter, announced that she would donate a portion of proceeds from her July 5 concert in San Antonio to support families affected by the Texas Hill Country floods.

“Dear San Antonio, Our hearts and prayers are with those affected by the flood in Central Texas,” the singer wrote on X. “We are donating a portion of tonight’s show proceeds to Catholic Charities of San Antonio, who are providing disaster relief to the families impacted.”

United Services Automobile Association, better known as USAA, has committed $500,000 in philanthropic grants to help with search and recovery efforts and will activate employee volunteers to serve local communities.

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“The destruction and loss we are seeing in Texas is heartbreaking, and our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected, especially the families of those who have lost loved ones and those who are still waiting to hear news,” USAA president and CEO Juan Andrade said in a statement. “We have been part of this community for more than 100 years and we will show up with action, compassion and a willingness to help our neighbors and our members recover and rebuild. We are grateful to first responders for their ongoing and tireless efforts.”

USAA, which provides banking services exclusively to members of the military, veterans and their families, is based out of San Antonio.

The NFL’s Houston Texans have also pledged $500,000 to help with efforts related to the flood. 

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“We are heartbroken by the loss and damage that our neighbors in the Texas Hill Country have endured. We are especially devastated to hear about the children who are still missing and we are praying they are reunited with their families soon,” a statement from Janice, Hannah and Cal McNair, the principal owner of the franchise, said in a statement. “Our hearts will remain with everyone affected, and in addition to our donation, we will continue to support the search, rescue and recovery efforts in the coming weeks.”

Texas Search and Rescue, a non-profit first responder group, is providing search, rescue, and recovery operations in Kerr County, which was significantly impacted by flooding. 

The Salvation Army in Kerrville, Texas, is taking limited donations and has been designated as the Official Partner for Volunteer Coordination and In-Kind Donations.

The Community Foundation, a nonprofit group in the area, launched the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund. All donations will go to the organizations helping with the emergency.

As of Saturday evening, at least 43 people have died and more than 27 young girls from Camp Mystic remain missing as search and rescue operations continue.