Over 100 lives have been lost in the catastrophic flooding of the Guadalupe river in Texas. Currently, there are 160 people still unaccounted for and at least 30 of those who perished were children.

It’s hard to even wrap our heads around this level of devastation. The sheer loss is staggering.

As I sit in the quiet safety of my own backyard (which also is on a river’s edge), I can’t help but think of the families whose lives have been completely shattered—parents who have lost children and entire communities submerged not just in water, but in the depths of grief.

And yet, even amid this overwhelming sorrow, I’ve seen something else beginning to rise—a political narrative. Online platforms are rapidly filling with finger-pointing and blame: accusations that government cost-cutting measures contributed to a failure to warn residents in time, that lives could have been saved if different decisions had been made.

Could that be true? Maybe. Could things have unfolded differently? Perhaps.

But right now, I find myself wondering—is this the time to point fingers?

Is it truly helpful to the survivors and the grieving families to center political blame in this moment of fresh pain? Do they benefit from this kind of public debate when they are still in shock, still searching for missing loved ones, still burying their dead?

There is a time and a place for investigation and accountability, if need be. But in the immediate aftermath of such loss, I believe what’s most needed is presence. Compassion. Care. Support.

So I asked myself, what can I do?

I can pray. I can hold space in my heart and send love to every family touched by this heartbreaking tragedy.

I can give. A financial donation—however small—can help provide food, shelter, or supplies for someone trying to survive the unimaginable.

And maybe, most importantly, I can stay connected to our shared humanity. I can resist the temptation to turn grief into a political platform. I can honor those who died by choosing empathy over argument.

This is how we begin to show up—not with all the answers, not by fixing the unfixable but by standing together in the face of loss.

If you, too, are watching this story unfold and wondering what you can do, I invite you to take a deep breath and ask yourself the same simple question:

What can I do from where I am, with what I have, to make a small difference for someone in pain?

Because the smallest acts of love, when multiplied, can be more powerful than any flood.

Here are a few organizations working in the trenches day and night to help those in dire need right now that could use our support:

Kerr County Flood Relief Fund

The Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity serving the Texas Hill Country. Funds will be distributed to vetted organizations providing rescue, relief, and recovery efforts as well as flood assistance.

KROC Kerrville The Salvation Army

Volunteers and donations are being accepted at this coordination center. Visit the website for details.

Kerrville Pets Alive

This all-volunteer, 501c3 nonprofit organization is working to reunite pets with their families and is in need of monetary donations for medical, cremation and boarding costs for animals. Visit Kerrville Pets Alive to donate or if you have lost or found a pet.

World Central Kitchen (WCK)

WCK Relief Team members are mobilizing across affected communities to provide food and water to anyone in need, including first responders working nonstop to find survivors.

https://www.worldcentralkitchen.org/relief/central-tx-floods-25