Serving Up Encouragement

Once Carla arrived in Waco, Texas, for the initiation, there were warnings of an ice storm headed for Texas. Just two months prior, Carla had lost her husband, Steve, to COVID-19, so she was traveling alone. She decided to cut her visit short and was relieved to make it home before the storm hit.

But in the next few days, things changed. Soon she would find her Kappa sisterhood was there for her in so many ways.

Carla’s home lost power after the storm, which meant no heat for days in freezing temperatures. But the real destruction came days later when her pipes burst, destroying her kitchen. The wood floors buckled, the ceiling collapsed and the kitchen now stood open to the garage. Carla was still adjusting to the loss of her husband and the related expenses, and now she faced extensive storm damages. Feeling overwhelmed, Carla applied for emergency aid in the form of a Rose McGill Disaster Relief Grant from Kappa Kappa Gamma, which was quickly awarded. “The grant really was a great provision,” Carla says. “Every little bit helped when I really needed it. I am so very thankful for Kappa coming to my rescue.” 

With the grant, Carla was able to begin the repairs to her kitchen. Her son, Jeff, and daughter-in-law, Julie, were quick to invite Carla for dinner since she couldn’t cook in her kitchen. Eventually, Carla was able to live on the second floor of her home once the heat and water were restored. But finding contractors was challenging because of the widespread devastation, Carla says. By May, the finishing touches were complete and Carla was back to hosting her family for a bit of home-cooking in her restored kitchen thanks to the Rose McGill grant from the Kappa Foundation.