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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are paying to repair a women's shelter damaged in Texas' winter storm

Samantha Grindell   

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are paying to repair a women's shelter damaged in Texas' winter storm
Thelife2 min read
  • A Texas women's shelter was damaged in Winter Storm Uri and closed for the first time in 40 years.
  • Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a donation to the shelter through their Archewell Foundation.
  • The donation will help meet the shelter's immediate needs and repair its transitional center's roof.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a donation to a Texas women's shelter that was forced to temporarily close after being damaged in the state's recent winter storm.

Genesis Women's Shelter & Support is a Dallas, Texas-based organization dedicated to helping women who have experienced domestic violence.

The organization helps more than 3,700 women who have experienced interpersonal violence each year, providing them with everything from shelter and food to legal aid, a representative for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told Insider on Monday.

The shelter's transitional and emergency housing facilities were damaged in Winter Storm Uri, which devastated Texas. A representative for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told Insider that the flooding and damage caused Genesis to close for the first time since it opened nearly 40 years ago.

Markle and Harry made a donation to the shelter through their nonprofit organization Archewell Foundation, Genesis announced via Twitter on Sunday.

Harry and Markle's donation will finance repairs to the roof and other parts of Genesis' transitional home. Their contribution will also help the shelter meet its "immediate needs," the same representative for the Sussexes told Insider.

Jan Langbein, the CEO of Genesis Women's Shelter & Support, recognized the couple's donation in a statement to Insider.

"Today, we were notified that through the actions of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's nonprofit, Archewell Foundation, Prince Harry and Meghan will make a donation to help us get back on our feet," Langbein said.

"Not only will this gift provide for our critical needs, it shines an international spotlight on violence against women and children, letting survivors know that they are not alone," Langbein continued.

Amy Ridings, Genesis' director of communications, told Insider that its emergency shelter was able to reopen over the weekend, marking a step toward recovery. It will still be months before its transitional shelter can reopen, though.

"The Duke and Duchess said to the Genesis team today that their hearts remain with the community, with the families Genesis serves, and with the volunteers and workers on the ground who selflessly provide care and support to those in need," the same represenative for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told Insider on Monday.

"The Duke and Duchess created Archewell Foundation to mobilize compassion in action, and to harness the power of community and of our shared humanity," the couple's representative continued. "Like so many, the couple is heartbroken to see communities across Texas still struggling to access the very basic resources we all need - water, heat, food, shelter."

"They encourage everyone to continue compassionately supporting the people of Texas during this emergency, in whatever way they can or are able, and hope this directed donation will bring relief, comfort, and certainty to the entire Genesis community," the representative added.

You can learn more about Genesis Women's Shelter & Support here.

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