Why Texans are calling H-E-B the 'FEMA of Texas' after devastating floods

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Texas-based grocery chain H-E-B has earned the nickname "FEMA of Texas" thanks to its immediate and thorough response to catastrophic floods that struck the state the weekend of July 4.

The grocer started responding to disaster relief efforts within 24 hours of the floods hitting. On the morning of Saturday, July 5, H-E-B posted on X that its team was "staying close to the hardest-hit areas & we will continue to provide support as these tragic situations evolve."

H-E-B started going viral across different social media platforms for its near-instant response. One Facebook post said, "We don’t need to wait on FEMA… we’ve got H-E-B." Several TikTok videos showing H-E-B Disaster Relief trucks deployed the day after the floods have garnered millions of views.

A company spokesperson said H-E-B prioritizes disaster relief because "it's important to us for Texans to take care of Texans, and that's who we are."

Lisa Helfman, managing director of H-E-B public affairs, told KXAN that on Friday, exactly a week after those floods hit the state, impacting Kerrville in the Hill Country hardest. Kerrville is also where H-E-B was first founded 120 years ago.

"H-E-B has an emergency operations team that is working 365 days a year, not just when a disaster strikes," Helfman said. "So, when a disaster strikes, we are ready to go with all the resources the community needs, and they change from disaster to disaster. So, we have eyes and ears on the ground, and we're ready to go."

The company donated $5 million to nonprofits providing aid and recovery support. Among that, $2 million was gifted to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country to support its Kerr County Flood Relief Fund.

H-E-B has mobilized in several different areas to help with recovery. It has deployed three disaster relief sites in Central Texas that are distributing water, snacks, cleaning kits, gift cards and other essentials. Those sites were set up in Leander, Burnet and Liberty Hill.

The grocer also deployed its Mobile Kitchen to Ingram, and distributed other essentials, like cleaning supplies and gift cards to Center Point and Hunt, according to a press release from the company. H-E-B employees have also been volunteering to help serve hard-hit areas across the state. They've been providing meals, gift cards, food, water, and cleaning materials in flood-affected areas of Burnet, Georgetown, Leander, Liberty Hill, Marble Falls, San Angelo and more.

"The good thing about H-E-B is we have 160,000 partners, what we call our employees, and everybody wants to help," Helfman said. "So, we're able to mobilize in the way that each region needs us, and some need different resources more than others."

H-E-B also launched a check stand donation campaign, which lets customers donate at the checkout when shopping in-store and online. The money collected through that campaign will be distributed to nonprofits supporting victims in impacted counties. Helfman said H-E-B does not take an administration fee, so 100% of those funds will go back to the community.

Helfman said that campaign will run through July 20.

Helfman said moving forward, H-E-B will continue supporting impacted communities, however the communities need.

"It's important for us to keep our eyes and ears on the ground right," she said. "So, we don't self-deploy, we go where people tell us, and we build those relationships over time before the disaster strikes. So whether it's the county judge or a mayor or a nonprofit, we are working with them to set up in their communities."

For three years in a row, H-E-B has been ranked as the top U.S. grocery retailer in the retailer preference index report released by customer data science source Dunnhumby.

If the grocer continues efforts like those it has displayed after the floods, it won't be surprising if it keeps that No. 1 spot for years to come.