SOUTH JORDAN, UTAH – September 7, 2017 –  Hurricane Harvey devastated parts of Texas, with a death toll of at least 70 people. With the hurricane damaging over 60,000 structures, 25% of which were completely destroyed, the relief efforts are expected to take years and cost millions of dollars. To help, Landmark Home Warranty is fundraising for the REALTORS® Relief Foundation and is matching donations up to $7,500. 

UPDATE: Landmark Home Warranty raised $1,580 to assist with the Realtors Relief Foundation's efforts to clean up after Hurricane Harvey. 

The REALTORS® Relief Foundation is currently working to provide disaster relief to families who have lost everything in Gulf Coast cities and the greater Houston area. 100% of their donations are used for disaster relief. Landmark Home Warranty is fundraising for this effort and will match donations up to $7,500. Landmark is challenging their Realtor partners, employees, and contractors who live outside of the Houston area to give what they can to help. 

If you are interested in donating, please click here.

Chris Smith, Landmark Home Warranty President, said the company as a whole wanted to do something to help, and since most of the employees are based in Salt Lake City, Utah, the best way to support the Houston community was through a fundraiser.

“We want to raise the full $150,000,” Smith said. “I know our employees would love to be down in Texas and helping to rebuild, so this is one way we knew we could assist from Utah.”

Landmark’s employees are donating more than just money to the relief effort. Joe Duffin, one of Landmark’s Account Executives for Houston, Texas, has been donating his time to provide hurricane cleanup around Houston.

So far, Duffin has worked to clean up 11 homes with hundreds of other volunteers and has been removing drywall, insulation and carpet from homes that have been flooded. Duffin also has been removing damaged furniture and unsalvageable items for cleanup.

Some of the homes’ floors are completely destroyed, which makes it hard to salvage anything, Duffin said.

“One house didn’t have a concrete floor, which means it was soaked through,” he said. “I had my foot fall through the floor three times but only to the ankle. Some people fell through to the knee. We ended up taking the doors off and laid them across the beams so we could walk.”

Duffin said that the people he has been helping have been incredibly positive and grateful for the help. One of the homes he cleaned out was a single woman who had purchased her home a month earlier. Within that month, she lost her 13-year-old dog, her truck had been hit, and her house flooded from the hurricane.

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“While we cleaned, she said ‘with all the bad going on, something good must be on its way,’” Duffin said. “She was so positive even though everything seemed to be against her.”

The overwhelming effort and support has been moving for Duffin.

“People who can’t do the physical labor are either buying or making food and driving around offering it to anyone out helping,” he said.

Duffin and his family worked with an elementary school to sort cleaning supplies, nonperishable food, and paper towels. He has also provided paper cups, plastic bins, and other paper supplies to offices and homes that needed it the most. Landmark Home Warranty helped to donate some of these supplies.

Duffin said there is still a lot to do in order to help these families put their lives back together, but the most helpful donation that individuals can give is that of money.  

Stacye Blake, one of Landmark’s Account Executives for Austin, Texas, has been helping out in her own area by raising funds. One of the fundraisers she is sponsoring is called Heroes for Harvey.

Landmark Home Warranty is grateful for our Account Executives who are working to help the people of Texas who have been devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Smith said the company appreciated that they were able to physically help.

“Our hearts truly go out to the people in Texas who have lost everything and the volunteers who are helping the people there rebuild,” Smith said. “We know that the homeowners and business owners have lost almost everything, and we’re grateful that our local employees are able to be there and help them start the rebuilding process.”

Smith said Landmark Home Warranty is encouraging their employees and real estate partners in Utah and Idaho, Oregon, Arizona, and Nevada to donate monetarily, as money is one of the most helpful donations for disaster relief. If you are interested in donating and having Landmark match your donation up to $7,500, please do so here: https://www.gofundme.com/landmarkhw