Sarah’s experience is just one story among the more than three million people in the United States who faced displacement due to weather and climate-related disasters in 2023.

The frequency and intensity of weather and climate-related disasters are rising. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the US experienced a record-breaking 28 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in 2023.

The devastating impact of this upward trend is felt by disaster-prone communities, such as those in the south-central region of the United States, with underserved populations experiencing the effects most acutely. The south-central region of the US has been severely impacted by tornadoes and flooding over the past few years. AHAH responded to many of these disasters, such as the devastating tornadoes that struck Arkansas in 2021 and the “Father’s Day Windstorm” that resulted in five deaths and widespread damage in Tusla, Oklahoma, in June 2023.

Building upon our disaster relief work in the region, AHAH partnered with Fight or Flight Production to repair and strengthen storm-damaged homes for season 2 of The Weather Channel’s FAST: HOME RESCUE television show. All Hands and Hearts’ Florida Hurricane Relief program in Fort Myers,  previously provided volunteer construction labor for the show for Hurricane Ian impacted homeowners. Over ten weeks in 2023, AHAH staff and volunteers completed interior and exterior repairs on ten homes in Arkansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma, completing a house a week. Typical scopes of work included demolition, debris removal, insulation, floor installation, painting, window sealing, baseboard trimming, door hanging and siding repairs.

In addition to residential volunteers who joined from across North America, several local community members volunteered their time to support the program. Representatives of local long-term recovery groups, mayors and a popular local meteorologist were among some of the local volunteers who helped to make the program a success. For one family’s home outside of Tulsa, AHAH worked alongside local volunteers from Recovering Oklahomans After Disasters (ROAD) and Nomads On a Mission Active in Divine Service (NOMADS) to reframe and install doors; replace, repair and paint fascia and soffit; patch and paint trim, walls and ceilings; and add flooring. Overall, volunteers collectively provided close to 1,500 volunteer hours across the three states and ten homes.