As nearly 60 Dover employees faced extremely difficult situations from Hurricane Harvey, our team members stepped in quickly to help their colleagues in need.
Within days of the Hurricane, funds totaling more than $120,000 were used to assist impacted Dover families by providing them immediate assistance in the form of cash gift cards. One of the affected employees was Thommy Gullick from Dover’s Cook Compression. Thommy, his wife Dee and two children lost almost everything in their home from the rising flood waters. While they went through a horrific experience, they remain optimistic for the future. “We are grateful for what we have and for the help we have received,” said Dee. “We continue to face each day as a close-knit family in support of each other.”
Just like the Gullick’s, many other Dover families have their own stories of how they survived the storm, coped with its effects and have begun to move forward. Please read below to hear how Kapil Kedia from Dover’s Bearings & Compression and his family have persevered through the devastation caused by the Hurricane.
While each story of every impacted employee is unique, they all share a common thread of having experienced tremendous loss. Nearly 40 Dover families requested additional support through the Dover Employee Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. Dover employees responded in a resounding and significant manner by providing donations totaling nearly $200,000. These funds, after The Dover Foundation match and when combined with a $100,000 Dover Corporation contribution, brought the grand total of the Dover Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund to nearly $500,000.
In November, the relief funds were disseminated to those requesting support with amounts of up to $15,500 for those most significantly impacted. Dover is pleased to have placed these funds in the hands of fellow employees so they can now be used in the ongoing efforts of rebuilding homes and restoring lives.
While much work lies ahead for many, the support given through the Dover Employee Hurricane Harvey Relief Funds provides not only financial assistance, but also an encouraging boost in morale to fellow employees facing difficult times. We are thankful for the generosity of our employees and for the resounding courage and resolve of our employees impacted by Hurricane Harvey.
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE AFTER THE HURRICANE
No one knew on August 25, 2017, that the rain beginning to fall across Houston from Hurricane Harvey would continue for days to come. Three days later it became clear to Kapil Kedia, Director of Supply Chain at Bearings & Compression, that flooding in his neighborhood was inevitable. The water began rising so quickly that for Kapil, his wife, Varkha, and their 3 1/2-year-old twin children, son Dev and daughter Dia, evacuating by car no longer seemed viable. Thanks to a friend who could arrange for a boat, they were eventually able to evacuate to safety where they spent the remainder of the week living with friends.
This was a common story for many, but for Kapil and other Dover employees, the horrific experience was also buffered by the outpouring of support from coworkers and the entire Dover family. Upon their return home on Friday, September 1, their worst fears were realized. “There were signs of water damage up to two feet throughout our home,” said Kapil. “We immediately knew we were in need of help.” As Kapil reached out to coworkers and friends, Dover leadership was also reaching out to him to learn how the family was doing and determine how they could be of assistance. By 7:00 am the next day, a Dover team had lined up supplies and volunteers which was followed-up with a cash gift card to help with immediate living expenses. Volunteers worked tirelessly over the Labor Day weekend in the demolition and removal of drywall, carpets, door frames, furniture and other water damaged items. By Monday, September 4, the final step of removing the wood flooring was accomplished. For the next several days, Kapil and Varkha did what they could around their home and reflected on the experience as they began to look forward to repairing and rebuilding their home.
While much was lost and a tremendous amount of work lies ahead, Kapil and his family are grateful. “I am blessed to work for a company like Dover where so many came together to help by providing their time, supplies and financial assistance,” said Kapil. While the frightening experience will always be with them, they feel the future is bright. “Our home will be repaired and the horrific memories will begin to fade with time,” said Kapil. “But, the generosity and assistance of others will remain a vivid memory for the rest of our lives.”
Members of the Dover family assisting with the cleanup. Kapil and Varkha are pictured on the far right.
ORIGINAL POST: As nearly 60 Dover employees faced extremely difficult situations from
Hurricane Harvey, our team members stepped in quickly to help their colleagues in need.
With the immediate help of United Airlines, The Dover Foundation hand-delivered over $120,000 in cash gift cards to Dover employees suffering from losses caused by Hurricane Harvey over the Labor Day weekend.
By securing space on one of their first flights into Houston, United ensured that The Dover Foundation was able to make the trip to deliver the relief to Dover’s impacted employees.
In addition, dozens of other Dover employees throughout the impacted region collected and distributed generators, clothes, food, supplies and so much more.
Hurricane Harvey has caused unprecedented flooding in southeastern Texas, with impacts reaching to neighboring gulf coast areas. Hundreds of members of the Dover team are in the affected areas, with many having had their lives greatly impacted by the catastrophic floods.
The Dover Foundation is providing financial assistance to employees who are impacted by the storm. Funds will go directly to assist with housing, food, clothing, and other general needs to help those affected members of the Dover team as they begin to put their lives back together.
Dover initiated this funding with a donation of $100,000, with Dover employees also contributing to the relief fund. To that effect, The Dover Foundation will match all employee contributions that are made to this effort.
We're hoping that through this tragedy, all of us can come together and help those in need.
Dover team members organize relief supplies for distribution to fellow employees.
Dover employees step in to help colleagues prepare their homes for repair.