Interfaith of The Woodlands received two Hurricane Harvey relief donations of $250,000—the largest single donations received by the nonprofit to date—from the Woodforest Charitable Foundation, and the Hunstman Corporation in conjunction with the Huntsman family, Sept. 4.

Since Hurricane Harvey hit southeast Texas, Interfaith has taken over as a distribution organization for Montgomery County and has been accepting monetary and item donations from the community, President Missy Herndon said.

“Our work here at Interfaith is just getting started,” Herndon said in a release. “The community’s generosity and in-kind donations have met the basic needs of food, water and supplies. Interfaith plans to use this money to focus on transitioning families out of shelters and friends’ homes and into long-term housing solutions while they work to rebuild their lives.”

The Montgomery County Distribution Center has served nearly 8,000 families and individuals in the first few days since opening to the public.

Interfaith will continue to provide disaster relief assistance to those in need for the weeks and months to come, Herndon said. To make a donation, visit woodlandsinterfaith.org or text GIVE to 832-925-3144.

About Woodforest Charitable Foundation

Woodforest National Bank founded the Woodforest Charitable Foundation in 2005 for the purpose of enriching communities through partnerships with charitable organizations.

Robert Marling, President of Woodforest Charitable Foundation, and his wife Kim, Executive Vice President, visited the Montgomery County Distribution Center and were amazed by the amount of volunteers and donations from Montgomery County residents, according to the release.

“Kim and I have witnessed first-hand the difference Interfaith and its leadership have made over many years, so when hurricane Harvey hit our community we knew exactly where to invest: Interfaith," Robert said.

About the Huntsmans

The Huntsmans serve in leadership positions for Interfaith of The Woodlands, with Peter Huntsman serving as the chair of the board of advisors and Brynn Ballard Huntsman serving on the board of directors.

The Huntsmans, who are the honorary chairs for The Woodlands Celebration of Excellence Gala, were inspired to give $250,000 after hearing about the donation from Woodforest Charitable Foundation, according to the release. The Huntsmans also decided to use their donation to kickstart The Huntsman Hometown Hero Challenge—a challenge to the community with a promise to match funds raised dollar for dollar, up to $250,000. The challenge is being held between now and Oct. 7, the night of The Woodlands Celebration of Excellence Gala, which benefits Interfaith of The Woodlands.

“We would challenge you to be able to give what you can,” Peter stated in a video announcing the donation. “Interfaith of The Woodlands is experiencing unprecedented demand on all of their services across the board, so I would ask you, your families, your associates [and] your business to please consider making a generous donation now in this time of need.”

The Woodlands Celebration of Excellence Gala sponsorships, tickets and raffle purchases are eligible for The Huntsman Hometown Hero Challenge.