Hurricane Matthew brought historic flooding and damaging winds to Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. The Team has been working to clear roadways, storm debris, and large trees from homes so power could be restored and communities could begin to get back on their feet.

One of the worst disasters since Super Storm Sandy, over 100,000 homes were either damaged or destroyed. Time was of the essence to remove the debris and gut homes to salvage whatever was left. Many without flood insurance faced the daunting task of cleaning up and the Team was there to lend a helping hand.

Another round of flooding brings the team to White Sulphur Springs, WV where the rising water stranded families on rooftops, awaiting rescue. During the recovery phase, our team helped families accomplish many months’ worth of work in just a few days.

From a Christmas Eve response in Mississippi to several months of traveling up and down the Midwest, 2015 has been a busy year for the Team. Stretching from Illinois to Texas, we’ve responded to 11 communities this year throughout an active tornado season and record-breaking floods in the south. Here’s a look at the year so far, as we transition and prepare for hurricane season.

Historic flooding devastated the once cute and quaint town of Wimberley, TX. Fran Barrington, Wimberley resident and flood survivor, found herself overwhelmed after recently undergoing a double lung transplant. She was rescued from her second story window only to later return to a waterlogged home. By implementing a Ram Nation service project, Fran had more help than she could have imagined to begin her recovery process.

We see it at every disaster, but an empowering sense of community was especially evident in Van, where an EF-3 tornado devastated 30% of the small town. Destruction aside, it was heartwarming to work next to friends, neighbors, and strangers volunteering their time and hard work to help those experiencing these tough times.

We give our best efforts to pre-position for storms. With strategic positioning, we were able to arrive to Fairdale, IL within 4 hours after an EF-4 tornado left 50 miles of destruction. Welcomed by the local volunteer fire department, we worked hand in hand with emergency officials in search and rescue operations.

Nga Chau brings her empathy for those in need and shares our passion for helping others. The Weather Channel illustrates the dichotomy of Nga’s life between Parkinson’s research at Johns Hopkins and her role as a first responder.

Columbia, MS faced a very different holiday this year after an EF-3 tornado devastated the town right before Christmas. The Team arrived on Christmas Eve and helped families dig through the rubble to save anything they could. Although all of the gifts were lost this year, Columbia, MS was reminded that the Christmas spirit is in our hearts and the greatest gift is another day with the ones you love.

A year after devastating flooding transformed the landscape across 1,500 sq. miles of Colorado, the Team returns to Lyons to check on the recovery progress for many displaced by the flood waters.