October 26 2017

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TopSpot, YPE Houston, raise over $60,000 for families affected by Hurricane Harvey

Last month, after Hurricane Harvey brought devastation to the city of Houston and its surrounding areas, the TopSpot Team pledged our commitment to being part of the relief efforts and announced our partnership with the YPE Houston Chapter, a 501c3 organization, in raising money for multiple Houston families that lost everything in the storm.

Our goal was to provide financial and moral support throughout each family’s entire rebuilding process with 100% of the funds raised given directly to the families.

Thanks to the Greater Houston area and support of our clients across the US, we raised over $60,000 for those in need!

Each family had a direct connection to our TopSpot family here in Houston, making our fundraising efforts even more meaningful for our team:

The Torres Family: Omar & Lacey Torres and their daughters, Peyton (5) and Dylan (2). 5 years ago the Torres family made Katy, Texas their home.  Omar and Lacey are both dedicated educators and teach and coach in The Katy Independent School District.

On August 26th, as Hurricane Harvey’s rain began to fill up their street the Torres family packed what they could, got in the car and made the nerve wracking drive to Fort Worth to stay with family.

When their home was finally accessible by truck the process of demolition and salvaging as many items as possible began. Surrounded by Army Ranger buddies and fellow coaches, The Torres Family continues to sort out this mess in hopes of restoring some normalcy to their family lives as quickly as possible.

On October 1st, TopSpot President, David Underwood, along with his wife and children, presented the Torres Family with the funds raised on their behalf, so that they could move forward with rebuilding their home.

The Torres Family

The Peddicord Family: On August 26th, the childhood home of Kara Peddicord’s daughters (which includes TopSpot Team Member, Jordan) and the place she has called home for the last 29 years was flooded.

Kara had to wait 7 days before she could return to her home to assess the damage due to water levels in the neighborhood. What she found was that her house had been flooded with nearly 50 inches of sewage water and would have to be stripped down to the studs in order to be repaired.

What was more difficult for her Kara and her three daughters to deal with were the countless mementos from the last 29 years that had to be thrown away – everything from the baby clothes all three of her girls came home from the hospital in to cherished books she collected throughout her 30 years as an English teacher.

On October 2nd, Kara Peddicord was presented a check by members of the TopSpot Team that will allow her to continue rebuilding her family’s home.

The Peddicord Family

When asked what this donation meant to her, here is what Kara had to say:

There aren’t adequate words to express my gratitude for your kindness and generosity. Because of your gift, I will be able to rebuild my life without the added stress of the financial burden it would otherwise bring.”

The Sotelo Family: Chris Sotelo is a longtime friend of TopSpot Team Member, Jahnessa Quintero. Chris suffered a spinal cord injury when he was 21 years old and became a C6 quadriplegic due to the injuries he sustained. A few months ago, he was able to begin living on his own for the first time since his accident and was enjoying his independence.

Unfortunately, Chris lost all of his belongings when his home was flooded during Hurricane Harvey. He also lost the vehicle he had recently purchased that had been customized to meet his transportation needs.

After so many years having to be cared for by others and finally gaining a sense of independence only to lose it all so quickly, the funds we raised were able to assist him in regaining what he lost.

Chris Sotelo

On behalf of the TopSpot Team and YPE Houston, thank you to those who supported our cause and donated to these families. The kindness and generosity we have seen since this devastating storm has been incredible. We are grateful to have each and every one of you in our TopSpot family.

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About Young Professionals in Energy –  Young Professionals in Energy (YPE) is a non-profit organization with more than 40,000 members worldwide. By providing a forum for networking and career development through social, educational and civic service opportunities, YPE aims to facilitate the advancement of young professionals in the global energy industry. YPE runs a year-round calendar of events in 40 chapters around the world. Learn more about YPE Houston at http://ypenergy.org/houston/