Flood Response

Ark of Highland Lakes launched its flood response Saturday, July 5 at the request of Emergency Management, opening immediate shelters for displaced residents in Marble Falls and Burnet. By Sunday, full disaster operations were underway—mobilizing volunteers for donation intake, food distribution, and support for survivors, first responders, and volunteers. Trained muck-out teams were deployed into the field beginning July 6th. Guided by a commitment to compassionate care, Ark combines physical recovery with emotional and spiritual support. Flood operations continue today and are based at the Marble Falls Warehouse and Ark Offices.

A lot of the media attention has been focused on the flooding in Kerr County. It is quite easy for our smaller (yet still severely impacted) event to be overlooked. We, at Ark of Highland Lakes, are the lead agency in Burnet county for donations management, volunteer coordination, food distribution, and long term recovery. The Burnet County Commissioner's court affirmed this role by formal approval on July 8th.

We are currently working more than 400 cases for long term recovery and support. One of our hardest hit areas is an RV park where approx 50 RVs (long term living situation type RVs) were damaged, most completely destroyed. Many of these and their vehicles simply washed downstream. This will create a heavy financial impact on us as there is very little "renovation" that can be done to provide an adequate living situation. Many more cases occurred in areas of existing high poverty, which complicates the ability to rebound from an event like this. We anticipate we will need more than $3million to help our neighbors recover from this event.

Organization Overview

Ark of Highland Lakes is a faith‑driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit uniting churches, agencies, and volunteers across the Highland Lakes region to serve individuals and families in crisis. Founded in the aftermath of the 2018 Colorado and Llano rivers flood, the organization offers both immediate relief—through disaster response, food provisions, hygiene supplies, dental services, and a donated‑goods warehouse—and long‑term transformation via transitional housing, mentorship, and community partnerships. Anchored by programs such as Transformational Living, Agape Dental Clinic, the Commissary, the Ark Warehouse, a regional Hunger Alliance, and a Foster Care Task Force, Ark walks with neighbors on a journey from crisis to stability, healing, and spiritual renewal. In non-disaster times, our focus is providing solutions that end generational cycles of poverty by elevating families and children toward self sufficiency. In January, we closed on a 211 acre property to develop into “Valley View Village” that will be a self-sustainable community north of Marble Falls where vulnerable families can live, work, and heal together. This developing project combines housing with income-generating opportunities and Christ-centered support to help families break generational cycles of poverty. By creating an environment where practical needs meet spiritual foundation, we’re building a revolutionary solution designed to transform lives for generations to come.