Houston Winter Freeze Fund: How To Get Disaster Assistance
In this guide, I will talk to you about the Houston winter freeze fund. This is a program that is managed by a number of local non-profits like Memorial Area Ministries, Houston United Way, and Greater Houston Community Foundation. The goal of this Houston disaster program is to help low-income Houston residents to recover from the 2021 Texas Winter Freeze.
If you are still trying to recover from the February winter freeze in Houston, this program can provide you with the financial assistance needed to pay insurance deductibles, pay for temporary housing, provide rent assistance, utility assistance, and other things.
Continue reading and we’ll discuss the multiple ways these funds can be put to use in this guide.
What Is The Houston Winter Freeze Fund?
This is a program for Harris County and Houston residents that helps with the cost of recovering from any damage or income lost due to the 2021 Texas Winter Storm.
As previously mentioned this Texas winter storm assistance program is managed by Memorial Area Ministries (MAM), Houston United Way, and Greater Houston Community Foundation. To apply for this winter storm assistance program in Houston you can visit the Memorial Area Ministries website.
Ways That The Houston Winter Storm Funds Can Be Used
There are multiple ways that this funding can be spent to help you recover from the winter storm. They include:
- Help you with the cost of homeowner insurance deductibles.
- Provide financial assistance for rent and deposits if you need to relocate due to damage caused by the winter storm.
- Pay costs associated with temporary housing.
- Help you to replace damaged furniture and other household items.
- Also helps with the cost of temporary storage units in Houston
- If you need help with utility bills, these funds can go toward that.
This particular program will not help with home repairs due to damage caused by the winter storm. Scroll to the end of this article to learn about a Houston winter storm program that does pay for the cost of home repairs.
Qualifications For The Winter Storm Assistance Programs
There are two paths to receiving winter storm assistance, that will be explained below. Being impacted by the winter storm and living in Houston/Harris County are two mandatory requirements for both the first and second option.
Option 1: AMI 80% or Less + Have A Vulnerable Family Member In Your Household
To qualify this way you will need to meet the mandatory requirements:
- Have been impacted by the February 2021 Texas Winter Storm that happened on February 13th – 17th.
- You are a Houston or Harris County resident.
In addition, you must also meet both of the next requirements.
Your income is at 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) or lower.
| People In Household | Yearly Income |
| 1 | $44,350 |
| 2 | $50,700 |
| 3 | $57,050 |
| 4 | $63,350 |
| 5 | $68,450 |
| 6 | $73,500 |
| 7 | $78,600 |
| 8 | $83,650 |
AND
You have one of the following in your household:
- A senior aged 65 and older
- Undocumented immigrants in your household
- Limited English proficiency,
- You are or have a person with disabilities in your home
- Veterans,
- School-aged children,
- LGBTQ+
- Reside in disproportionately impacted communities with high vulnerability (map),
Option 2: AMI 60% or Lower
With this option you will need to again meet mandatory requirements:
- Have been impacted by the February 2021 Texas Winter Storm that happened on February 13th – 17th.
- You are a Houston or Harris County resident.
AND
Have an AMI of 60% or less
| People In Household | Yearly Income |
| 1 | $33,300 |
| 2 | $38,040 |
| 3 | $42,780 |
| 4 | 47,520 |
| 5 | $51,360 |
| 6 | 55,140 |
| 7 | 58,980 |
| 8 | 62,760 |
Here are summaries of the 2 ways that you can qualify for this winter storm disaster recovery program in Houston.
| Option #1 | Option #2 |
| Impacted by Winter Storm | Impacted by Winter Storm |
| Live in Houston or Harris County | Live in Houston or Harris County |
| Income at or below 80% AMI | Income at or below 60% AMI |
| Have a person with a vulnerability in your home |
Documentation Needed
You will need to show proof of residency in Houston/Harris County and prove your income. Below I will explain which documents will provide these things.
Proof of Residency In Houston or Harris County
The funds in this program are meant to help residents who live in Houston or Harris County. The documents below will help you prove that you are a local resident.
- Valid Texas Driver’s License or an ID card with your name and address
OR if you cannot produce an ID with your address this is another option for you…
2.A Valid ID card with no address. Examples are a school ID, work permit, US visa, green card, work ID.
In addition to an ID with no address, produce one of the following:
- A utility bill with you name and address
- Phone bill with your name and address
- Mail with your name and address
Proof of Income
The following documents will prove that you meet income requirements for this winter storm relief program in Houston.
- Medicaid
- Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
- Federal Pell Grant (if a current student)
- Harris Health Gold Card
- Public Housing Assistance (Houston or Harris County Housing Authority)
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- National School Lunch Program
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/Food Stamps)
- Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Tribal Assistance
- VA Pension or Disability
You will also need to provide proof of income for each adult in your home. The following documents are accepted:
- Annual Wages (preferred)
- Copy of 2019 or 2020 tax return
- Most recent W-2(s)
- Monthly Wages (can be provided to verify eligibility)
- One (1) month pay stubs prior to February 13, 2021
- Most recent 1099(s) (every job, if applicable)
- Profit & Loss ledger
- Declaration of an income statement
- Stipend(s), alimony, pension/retirement/annuity monthly award letter(s)
- Letter from employer
How To Apply For The Houston Harris County Winter Storm Relief Fund
To apply for this winter storm relief program in Houston you will need to visit the Memorial Area Ministries website.
You can complete an online application or you can call Memorial Area Ministries at 713.574.7533 (English) or 713.574.7536 (Spanish).
Houston Winter Storm Home Repair Program
The website CollectiveTX.org, provides you with an online application to complete if you need help with home repairs as a result of the 2021 winter storm in Houston.
This Houston home repair program can potentially assist you with:
- Removing damaged interior building materials.
- Drying out water-damaged areas in your ceiling and walls.
- Help you with plumbing repairs like insulating new pipes, fixing leaks, and replacing fixtures like sinks, toilets, showers, tubs, and your hot water heater. The plumbing repair jobs are limited to interior water service only.
Funding is limited for this program, so you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. You can visit https://www.connectivetx.org/winterstorm/home-repair/ to apply for this Houston winter storm relief home repair program.
Conclusion
If you are in Houston or Harris County and still struggling to recover from the Texas Winter Storm, this disaster relief program in Houston can potentially help you.
Funds are limited for this program, therefore assistance is not guaranteed. An alternative if you do not receive financial help is visiting the Winter Storm Relief Fund website.
Similar Articles That May Be Of Interest To You:
- Find Houston Disaster Relief After The 2021 Texas Winter Storm
- How To Find Rent Assistance In Houston
- 8 Utility Assistance Programs In Houston
- Houston Home Repair Programs: Find Help With The Cost Needed To Fix Your Home
Nick Bryant is the author of Understanding Healthcare Is Half The Battle and a Senior Counselor with 13+ years of experience working in community health and mental health. He enjoys spending time with his family, watching WWE on Friday nights, and working toward a Google Data Analytics certification. If you have additional questions about community resources or government assistance programs, simply leave a comment below and he will follow up as soon as possible.
