Veteran-Led Nonprofit Team Rubicon Deploys Following Texas Tornadoes; Disaster Response Teams Also on the Ground in Mississippi & Missouri

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Dec 30, 2015, 02:02 ET

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Team Rubicon, a nonprofit disaster response organization that repurposes the skills of military veterans, has deployed to assist homeowners following the devastating tornadoes in Texas. As a state of emergency was declared across the hardest-hit counties, Team Rubicon immediately mobilized an assessment team and began working with local, state and national agencies to assist affected residents. A member of the Texas state Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD), Team Rubicon is supporting the community of Glenn Heights with damage assessments, debris removal and spontaneous volunteer coordination.

"The devastation across Texas is like nothing I've ever seen. More than 1,600 homes and businesses have been destroyed and families are struggling during the holiday season," said Brian Liu, Team Rubicon Texas assessment team member and local resident. "Team Rubicon has mobilized to provide vital services to get homeowners back on their feet. As a disaster responder who wants to serve my community, it feels great to help my fellow Texans during their time of greatest need."

On Christmas Day, Team Rubicon also deployed a team to Tippah County, Mississippi to assist homeowners affected by over 20 tornadoes that touched down across the region. The organization is also responding in Missouri following severe weather. Across Texas and throughout the South, Team Rubicon is working with its network of partners including Southwest Airlines which is donating round trip tickets to transport volunteers to the disaster zones and Home Depot which is providing vital tools and supplies.

To support Team Rubicon's disaster response operations visit: http://www.teamrubiconusa.org/donate

Since its inception following the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Team Rubicon has grown from 8 to nearly 35,000 volunteers and has responded to over 110 disasters including the 2015 floods in Hays and Caldwell Counties in Texas, the Nepal earthquakes, Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, and Hurricane Sandy. Prior to the recent Texas disaster, Team Rubicon commenced plans to establish an Emergency Operations Center in Dallas in early 2016. In an effort to scale up its worldwide response capabilities, the organization has begun hiring local staff and mobilizing key partners in the Dallas-Forth Worth area.

For the latest Team Rubicon career opportunities in Dallas and around the country visit: http://www.teamrubiconusa.org/careers

Team Rubicon unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams. The disaster relief organization offers veterans the opportunity to continue their service by helping those affected by disasters while regaining a sense of purpose, community and identity. For more about Team Rubicon, visit www.teamrubiconusa.org. Also see us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.