Rebuild Texas – Following the devastation of Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Michael and Susan Dell spearheaded a recovery effort that spanned three years, restoring thousands of homes and local businesses.
The floodwaters of Hurricane Harvey began their retreat in August 2017, leaving behind a landscape of ruin across the Texas coastline. As the initial surge of emergency aid faded, the crushing reality of long-term displacement settled over thousands of families. It was into this vacuum that Michael and Susan Dell stepped, launching the Rebuild Texas Fund alongside the OneStar Foundation.
They backed the initiative with a $42 million contribution. a signal that the recovery effort would be measured in years rather than days. The fund eventually drew support from more than 33,000 donors, pushing the total raised past $100 million. Every dollar was directed toward organizations operating within the communities battered by the storm.
The recovery was defined by the sheer scale of the need. Over a three-year period, the fund supported 290 distinct projects spanning 41 counties, touching the lives of 2.1 million Texans. Housing stood at the center of this mission. as the fund facilitated the repair or rebuilding of 3. 740 homes. providing a foundation for families struggling to recover from the disaster.
The initiative channeled resources into four critical pillars: health and housing. education and childcare. workforce and transportation. and the survival of small businesses. The economic impact was tangible, as 1,411 businesses managed to reopen their doors with support from the fund. Beyond the balance sheets. the aid reached into classrooms and clinics. providing essential materials to 3. 724 teachers and connecting 265. 842 people with health services.
The logistical scope of the work revealed the depth of the devastation. Beyond the homes and businesses. the fund equipped emergency medical services teams with lifesaving tools and restored community landmarks. including a local Little League field. These projects were not merely infrastructure improvements; they were the essential community resources required to anchor towns that had been fundamentally broken by the hurricane.
By the time the three-year effort concluded. the Rebuild Texas Fund had transitioned from an emergency response to a community-led recovery engine. It addressed the quiet. lingering needs that persisted long after the national news cycle moved on. focusing on the slow. methodical work of putting neighborhoods back together.
Rebuild Texas Fund Michael Dell Susan Dell Hurricane Harvey disaster recovery Texas OneStar Foundation