When Tragedy Strikes, We Show Up
Some stories are hard to tell. This is one of them.
Over the past few days, catastrophic flooding has ripped through Kerr County, Texas. Families have lost their homes. Communities have been gutted. And the part that hit me the hardest: some parents sent their kids off to summer camp last week and never got to bring them home.
As a father of two daughters who are currently off at camp, I can’t even process what those families are going through. While my girls are laughing, making lanyards, and playing games, kids and families just a few hours away from our Rupt HQ are experiencing trauma no child should ever face.
It’s devastating. And it’s personal.
But if there’s one thing I know about the promo industry, it’s that we don’t sit on the sidelines. We rally. We move fast. We do what needs to be done.
In 2017, we showed what this industry is made of.
During Hurricane Harvey, while leading Origaudio, I helped coordinate an industry-wide donation drive. Suppliers, distributors, friends, and total strangers came together to ship critical supplies directly into Houston. It was one of the most powerful things I’ve been a part of in my career.
Now, as CEO of Rupt, we’re doing it again: this time for Kerr County.
Watch Our Call to Action
I sat down with Rupt co-founder Mike Szymczak and Lawrence Hanley, CEO of Desk Plants, to talk about why this matters so much—and how we’re making it easy for anyone to get involved.
👇 Watch the video below to hear our story and learn how you can help:
What We’re Collecting:
Cleaning & Recovery Supplies
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Bleach, heavy-duty trash bags, gloves, buckets, disinfectant wipes, etc.
Food & Water
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Bottled water, non-perishables, baby formula, baby food, pet food
Emergency Supplies
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Flashlights, batteries, tarps
Personal Care & Hygiene
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Diapers, soap, shampoo, feminine hygiene, toothpaste, toothbrushes
Clothing & Bedding
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Socks, underwear, basic clothing for all ages, blankets, towels
Tools & Equipment
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Shovels, rakes, screwdrivers, saws (even wood chippers, if you’ve got one)
Where to Send Supplies:
Rupt HQ
800 Interchange Blvd
Suite 103
Austin, TX 78721
Label all boxes: “Kerr County Relief”
Not in Austin? We’ve made it easy.
To make it easy we've made an Amazon Wishlist that ships items directly to our warehouse for distribution.
🛒 Click here to shop the wishlist.
Why This Matters
Because this isn’t just about flashlights and bottled water. It’s about people. It’s about kids. It’s about families trying to figure out how to rebuild after their entire world was washed away in a matter of hours.
We can’t erase the tragedy, but we can show up with open hands and full hearts.
To the Promo Industry: Let’s Do What We Do Best
We’re an industry built on creativity, resilience, and connection. This is one of those moments where we need to put all of that into action.
If you're a distributor, supplier, designer, client, partner, friend: we’re asking you to step up. Just like we did after Harvey. Just like we’ll do again the next time disaster strikes.
Kerr County needs us. And we’re not going to let them down.
Want to help or coordinate a larger donation?
Reach out directly: jason@rupt.com
Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring. And thank you for showing up.
—
Jason Lucash
CEO, Rupt