The wild nature of Hurricane Beryl has touched lives across South Texas. Gulf Coast residents Luis and Dora Aparicio, originally from San Antonio, were no exception to Beryl’s destruction.  

The Aparicios awoke to a warmer-than-usual home, with Beryl’s rainfall adding to the humidity. The Rosenberg, Texas, residents’ lights went out in the early hours of Monday morning. Looking for answers, Dora prayed for light on Tuesday morning, and their blessing came at 3 p.m. when they found a Red Cross shelter in a Facebook post by their niece. 

“As soon as we saw it, we decided to go. We were out the door and here in 10 minutes. We didn’t bring anything because we didn’t know what to expect,” shared Luis.   

“This is our first time in a Red Cross shelter,” Luis continued. “We weren’t expecting all the things you guys had to offer. We received beds, blankets, food and water. We even had coffee this morning. The teams here have been checking in on us constantly to make sure we have what we need.”  

The Aparicios have seen the Red Cross on the news before, as teams respond to local and national disasters. Little did they know they would experience the Red Cross mission themselves.   

“It’s a blessing what ya’ll do. Now when I see the American Red Cross on the TV, I’ll know what ya’ll do. It really touches my heart. When I see ya’ll somewhere else, I’ll know what ya’ll are doing because I experienced it,” expressed Luis. 

Red Cross Gulf Coast CEO Shawn Schulze sat with the Aparicio’s to listen to their shelter experience and address any concerns.  

“We are here for our communities in South Texas. Disasters don’t pick and choose who they affect. At the American Red Cross, we choose to help those who need it.”  

BE SAFE. FIND A SHELTER. This extreme heat is dangerous. The Red Cross and partners have shelters open to provide safe refuge from the heat, power outages and damage from Hurricane Beryl. Anyone who needs a safe place to stay or a meal can find shelter information on redcross.org, the free Red Cross Emergency app or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767).  

Red Cross shelters are open to everyone in need, regardless of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability or citizenship status. All disaster assistance is free. The Red Cross doesn’t require people to show identification to enter a shelter — just their name and where they lived before the disaster.  

People who plan to stay at the shelter are encouraged to bring prescription medications, extra clothing, pillows, blankets, hygiene supplies, other comfort items and important documents. Remember to bring any special items for children, such as diapers, formula and toys, or for family members who have unique needs. We do everything we can to accommodate service animals and domesticated pets comfortably in our shelters. Sometimes, depending on the situation, pets may need to be housed in a different location with support from local partners.