Episode Description:
In this special episode of The Optimist Daily’s Weekly Roundup, Arielle and Karissa discuss the devastating Texas floods and how to respond with both compassion and care. They walk through trusted ways you can contribute to flood relief efforts and also share practical mental health strategies for navigating collective grief—a response many of us feel when tragedy strikes close to home.
💡Featured articles:
📍Resources to support Texas flood relief:
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American Red Cross – Emergency shelters and aid (or call 1-800-HELP-NOW)
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The Salvation Army – Mobile kitchens, supplies, and volunteers
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Kerrville Kroc Center – Local donation drop-off point
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Kerr County Flood Relief Fund – Regional relief via Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country
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Austin Pets Alive! – Animal rescue, fostering, and vet care
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World Central Kitchen – Hot meals for survivors and first responders
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TEXSAR – Texas Search and Rescue – Recovery operations and emergency response
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Verified GoFundMe Campaigns – Support individuals and families directly
Whether you’re donating, spreading the word, or just taking a mindful breath—every action counts. ❤️
The Optimist Daily is a project of the World Business Academy.
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Transcript:
Theme music
Arielle
Hello and welcome to The Optimist Daily’s Weekly Roundup. I’m Arielle.
Karissa
And I’m Karissa, and we’re working hard to put solutions in view and optimism in movement.
Arielle
All right, well, it’s been a minute because we took last week off, but we are back with another episode of our pod to share the solutions from The Optimist Daily this week. How are you doing, Karissa?
Karissa
I’m doing OK, but it’s been quite a devastating few days over in Texas. I’m sure all over the world we’ve seen these headlines from the flash floods going on. It’s been weighing heavy, so we’re kind of taking this episode to talk about organizations you can support and ways to deal with this kind of disaster.
Arielle
So we are going to cut the small talk short and just jump into this catastrophe—this natural disaster.
Karissa
Like we mentioned, it’s been a devastating few days in Texas, and I’m sure many, if not all, of the listeners here are aware—in just a few short hours over the Fourth of July weekend, the Guadalupe River turned into a raging flood, swept away homes, campsites, and entire communities across the Hill Country.
Arielle
Yeah.
Karissa
And the numbers are quite staggering. The death toll is now well into the triple digits as we’re recording this, and many are still missing.
Arielle
Yeah. And it’s… it’s really sad. A lot of them are families just out enjoying summer and festivities, being July Fourth weekend and everything. Kids at camp, neighbors spending the weekend together—completely heartbreaking what’s happened.
Karissa
Yeah, totally. When I got glimpses of the news over the weekend, I was also camping by a river and I didn’t have service, but went into service for a second and we were checking out some other things in the area and saw this and it’s just like… wow, I can’t imagine, because I was doing something so similar. Yeah, what should have been such a joyful season has turned into one of grief and unimaginable loss in this community. And towns like Hunt and Ingram and Kerrville are definitely reeling.
Arielle
Mhm.
Karissa
But while the water is receding, the emotional and physical toll is just beginning. As overwhelming as it is, there are still meaningful ways we can show up for one another—whether we’re right there in the community, in the thick of it, or we’re sending support from afar.
Arielle
Yeah. So as you mentioned, Karissa, we want to talk about two things—first, how you can help in real, concrete ways, and second, how to take care of your heart and mind if you’re feeling the weight of this tragedy, especially if it hits close to home.
Karissa
I guess let’s start with how to help. There are some incredible organizations already on the ground doing such vital work. The American Red Cross is providing emergency shelters and direct aid. So you can donate at RedCross.org/donate or call 1-800-HELP-NOW.
Arielle
That’s right. And The Salvation Army has set up mobile kitchens to provide meals and water. They’re also accepting donations and volunteers at HelpSalvationArmy.org. And if you’re in the area, they need supplies like hygiene items and diapers—you can drop those off at the Kerrville Kroc Center.
Karissa
And there’s also the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund, which was launched by the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. It supports local efforts in places hit hardest, and that’s at CommunityFoundation.net.
Arielle
And we can’t forget about the animals. Austin Pets Alive! has been rescuing displaced pets, offering vet care, and they really need fosters right now. So visit AustinPetsAlive.org to find out how you can help with that.
Karissa
Definitely. And we also have World Central Kitchen, which as always is providing hot meals to survivors and first responders. You can donate at WCK.org, and TEXSAR—which stands for Texas Search and Rescue—is leading critical recovery operations. They’re raising funds at TEXSAR.org.
Arielle
And that’s T-E-X-S-A-R dot org.
Karissa
Yeah.
Arielle
And if you want to help individuals directly, GoFundMe has set up a hub for verified flood relief campaigns. All you have to do is search “Texas flood relief” and you’ll see families and community centers that need urgent support.
Karissa
That’s great. And you know, all these efforts really make a big difference—even if it’s just $5 or sharing a fundraiser, every action counts. The floodwaters ran deep, but it’s already showing that community compassion can run even deeper.
Arielle
Now let’s talk about the emotional impact, because what’s happened in Texas is way more than just a physical disaster. It’s a kind of grief that’s hard to explain. And it’s something mental health experts call collective trauma.
Karissa
Right. Collective trauma happens when an entire community is affected by a crisis. It doesn’t matter whether your house flooded or not—your daily life was disrupted, your neighbors are hurting, and you’re surrounded by loss.
Arielle
And that grief shows up in so many ways. People feel disconnected, anxious, even angry. Some lose trust in local leadership or emergency systems—there’s a lot of talk about that. And then there’s mourning not just for people, but for places, for routines, for normalcy. And this applies to other catastrophes—natural disasters, war, injustices. Honestly, there’s so much that’s going on right now. So hopefully these tips can help no matter what is affecting you most right now.
Karissa
Yeah, exactly. Whatever it is, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by it, it’s definitely OK. It’s expected. And one thing that can help is what therapists call micro-actions.
Arielle
Yeah. So these are small steps that help you stay grounded when everything feels upside down. It can be as simple as pausing to take a deep breath. Inhale for four counts, hold it for four, and exhale for six. Do that a few times. It might seem so arbitrary, but your nervous system will thank you.
Karissa
Yeah, exactly. And another one is doing just one small task and focusing only on that—like making a cup of tea or folding laundry. You’re reminding your brain that you still have control over something.
Arielle
It’s really important to just get that feeling back because when things are so out of control, it can be way too overwhelming to think about even getting out of bed. Also—reach out to someone. Call a friend, sit with a neighbor, send a message. Shared grief is lighter than isolated grief.
Karissa
Totally.
Arielle
And reminding yourself that you are part of a bigger community can make such a difference.
Karissa
But also, rituals can help too. So just lighting a candle, saying a prayer, writing a note to someone you lost—these little moments can really help us process the pain in ways that talking out sometimes can’t, if you need that moment to yourself.
Arielle
And most importantly, give yourself grace. There’s no one right way to grieve. Some days will feel impossible, and that is completely normal.
Karissa
Totally. I mean, the truth is, rebuilding after a tragedy takes time—physically and emotionally. But by showing up for each other and tending to our inner worlds with care, we can start to mend not just the damage but the spirit of our communities.
Arielle
And in the words of Brené Brown, these moments of collective pain aren’t about fixing everything—they’re about being present for one another.
Karissa
So if you’re listening today and feeling kind of helpless—know this: your presence matters, and your kindness matters. Whether you’re donating, comforting someone, or just taking a deep breath and recentering yourself—you’re helping and being part of solutions that are making things…
Arielle
…just a little bit better.
Karissa
Yeah. So it all starts, of course, like we’ve said so many times—making sure you’re OK. From there you can reach out to those in your immediate circle of influence, and even though it may be a slow process, that’s how we can heal together.
Arielle
Yes, exactly. For now, be gentle with yourself and those around you. Texas is hurting, but we have to remind them that they’re not alone in it. And yeah, I mean, this year has been a master class in collective trauma, it feels like.
Karissa
Totally.
Arielle
It’s getting… quite out of hand, but I know that together we can rebuild. And this is a good reminder for me as well.
Karissa
I agree. We’re sending our thoughts, of course, out to everyone in Texas and anyone who knows people there and is really reeling in all these emotions from what’s going on. And we’re hoping for the best for everybody.
Arielle
Well, we do have other solutions that are featured on The Optimist Daily this week if you needed a different kind of pick-me-up. And those stories include…
Karissa
Mexico bans dolphin shows in historic vote to protect marine mammals, Sweet solutions: 8 delightful ways to use honey for glowing skin and shiny hair, How to plan the perfect summer break: balance connection, adventure, and true rest, and Okra and fenugreek extracts remove up to 90 percent of microplastics from water.
Arielle
We also have 10 effective ways to get kids off screens this summer, Turning plastic into pain relief: scientists transform PET waste into paracetamol, This high-tech paint ‘sweats’ to cool your home naturally, and 7 tips for zero-waste air travel.
Karissa
Yeah. So some solutions to turn your attention away for a second from all the other negative news out in the world—that’s what we’re here for at The Optimist Daily. We want to address solutions that are dealing with these real and present issues. There are ways to get through it, and we’re here to support that.
Arielle
Speaking of support—you can support us financially or otherwise by sharing our podcast and The Optimist Daily in general to friends and family. But again, this episode is really about highlighting how you can help Texas, so we’re going to leave it at that.
Karissa
Yeah, exactly. So definitely encourage everyone to check out these organizations and help out where you can.
Arielle
Well, I believe that’s all from us this week. Karissa, I hope you have a great weekend and get to relax and de-stress a little bit.
Karissa
Yeah, I hope you have a great weekend too, Arielle—as well as all of our listeners. And we’ll be back next week with some more solutions from The Optimist Daily. Until then…
Both
Bye!
