After the Hurricane: BMC builds hygiene kits for children and families

HOUSTON, TX – When Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas last August, few knew it would be the second-costliest hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland since 1900—causing a whopping $125 billion in damage and eclipsed only by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Organizations all over the United States reached out to help, including building-supplies company BMC, which has multiple locations in the Houston area and several employees who had been personally affected by the disaster.

By partnering with World Vision to meet an immediate need, BMC’s Dallas Fort Worth team hosted what’s known as a kit build. About 25 employees assembled hygiene kits to help affected children and families, and another 100 corporate employees pitched in by writing encouraging notes on cards to be included in the kits.

“We felt the hygiene kits would be most beneficial for those impacted by Harvey,” says Joe Barnes, BMC’s Senior VP of Operations & Supply Chain. “The kits consisted of toiletries, toothpaste and toothbrushes, combs, washcloths, shaving gear, and more.”

“One of BMC’s core values is ‘people count.’ This core value extends into communities where we live, work, and play. While BMC operates in 40+ major metropolitan markets, a disaster of any magnitude that directly impacts our community gives us ample opportunity to demonstrate support and compassion. Disaster or not, BMC is committed to giving back in our communities.”

Kit builds are a great way to deliver hope at home and remind victims of disaster that they’re not alone. In fact, between September and December 2017, World Vision’s partners helped us provide emergency relief to more than 190,000 people here in the U.S.

“Any time you have an opportunity to get involved with a world-class organization that focuses on helping others, you should do so,” Barnes says. “That is World Vision: good people and an excellent focus on helping others.”