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Bexar County officials ask public for monetary donations after Hill Country floods; county activates mutual-aid response
Summary
Bexar County officials described local emergency response to the Hill Country floods, asked the public to give monetary donations to named relief organizations, and outlined county support including supplies, logistics and staff deployments.
Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai and other county officials asked residents on July 8 to give monetary support to credible organizations responding to recent flooding in the Texas Hill Country and described Bexar County's multiagency response and mutual-aid efforts.
The request came after Judge Sakai opened the Bexar County Commissioners Court meeting with a moment of silence for victims of recent floods and detailed county actions: activation of the Emergency Operations Center over the holiday weekend, delivery of more than 6,000 bottles of water, diesel for generators, mobile radio communications support provided by the county IT department, deployment of five boats and fire and rescue support by local emergency service districts, and UAV/drone assistance coordinated with the Texas Department of Public Safety and the sheriff’s office.
The county judge said field partners indicated an excess of donated supplies in the affected area and that the most useful form of aid at the time was monetary donations to organizations working on the ground. He named three organizations the county recommended: the Salvation Army of Kerrville; the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund managed by the Hill Country Community Foundation; and the Red Cross of Central and South Texas. “We will be sharing this information through our social media and other channels,” Sakai said.
Why it matters: County leaders framed the request as a regional response and urged a coordinated flow of support. County Clerk Lucy Adame Clark described a “Bexar County call to action,” listing county locations and department drop-off points and saying the Tax Assessor-Collector’s office would make five locations available as donation hubs. Clark said county departments, mobile units and off-site locations would accept gift cards and other donations and emphasized using county channels to coordinate contributions.
County officials repeatedly urged residents to prioritize giving to the named monetary-relief channels rather than sending more physical supplies. District Attorney Joe Gonzalez and other elected officials said county staff and volunteers — including district investigators and employees who had already volunteered at food banks and family reunification centers — were supporting recovery and search-and-rescue work.
Commissioners and staff discussed additional operational and emotional impacts. Commissioner Clay Flores and others recognized the strain on the Medical Examiner’s Office and first responders, and urged attention to mental-health support for personnel exposed to repeated traumatic incidents. Multiple commissioners said Bexar County emergency teams had worked directly with officials in Kerr and Kendall counties and with regional partners to provide immediate assistance.
Ending: Officials asked residents to follow county channels for verified donation guidance and to consider volunteering at relief organizations and food banks. County leaders said they would work with state and regional partners to review warning systems and infrastructure for future resilience efforts.
