She had long suspected it, but Jesi Jones was left with zero doubt that Southeast Texans are generous to an immeasurable degree as she reflected on the full-fledged support shown for the “409 Cares” initiative that culminated in roughly $300,000 raised for disaster relief this past week. Mostly circulated through grassroots efforts and word-of-mouth, the message got around that Courville’s would be ground zero for fundraising efforts to benefit those impacted by the July 4 Hill Country flooding disaster. In true Texas fashion, residents of the 409 area code community responded in a BIG way.
Jones, daughter of Courville’s catering namesake and founder “Big Rich” Courville, said she was raised to “Love thy neighbor,” as the Bible instructs and as her parents modeled in everyday life. Charitable giving, volunteerism, and an all-around habit of selflessness was celebrated in the Courville household, and Jones was sure her house wasn’t the only home built on love in Southeast Texas.
“The idea of 409 Cares, in some form, has lived rent-free in my head for a long time,” Jones told The Examiner, defining the initiative to harness the giving nature of Southeast Texans into a collective and measured impact for those in need. There’s never been a shortage of locals willing to do whatever is needed of them, but Jones always had the feeling that the collective could do more, help more, help… more efficiently. “I wanted to do more with the platform we have and the tools God has given us.”
Like many humbled by the July 4 tragedy in Hill Country, Jones and the rest of the Courville’s crew was ready to pull up a BBQ pit to Kerrville and get to cooking – but, soon realized that’s not where efforts were needed.
“We can’t sit here and do nothing, though,” Jones said. “We, as Southeast Texans, have to do something.”
409 Cares
After roughly just two weeks of planning and preparing, when the BBQ was gone and the auction items claimed, 409 Cares reported accumulating approximately $300,000 for Hill Country disaster relief. It was a whirlwind 14 days, as Jones tells it, however.
“We worked day and night for two weeks,” Jones reminisced Aug. 6, finally taking a breath in the wake of the Aug. 1 main event. “We did the best we could.”
Within a few phone calls, volunteers increased exponentially. Donations increased in volumes, as well.
“We didn’t even have to ask for anything; people were just showing up with stuff,” Jones said, proud of her fellow Southeast Texans. “It created, kind of, a movement.”
The live auction and dinner set for Aug. 1 sold out within 15 minutes of being posted online; it was standing room only from there. The auction continued to expand – many items up for grabs donated by local businesses and artists, private donors and private citizens from “The 409” that wanted to give to the cause – and the feeling of love burst from the seams, Jones shared.
“The universal commandment among many faiths is ‘Love thy neighbor.’ That’s what this is about,” she said. “Here, and in Kerrville, we’re rallying behind those suffering from loss. That’s what 409 Cares is about; loving our neighbors is what we were put on this earth to do.”
To try to put names to everyone that pitched in would be an impossible task, as more than three dozen donors recited by Jones barely put a dent in the laundry list of persons and businesses involved in the fundraiser. At Courville’s alone, about a dozen volunteers could be easily counted: Jones, “Big Rich, “mom, my sister, the employees…
“People donated their time; they parked cars; they took out the trash …; everybody did their part.”
Courville’s, together with 1701 Barbecue and its General Manager Travis Cox, served up the lion’s share of the dinner entree – but, Jones was quick to add, many more supported even that effort. In kind donations for hotels for out-of-town entertainers, flowers and centerpieces, Gates Kitchen desserts, tents, entertainment, beer from Giglio, liquor from Longhorn Liquor – all donated.
“We had some local businesses that wrote us a check,” Jones said. Some businesses, she added, wrote several checks. “I didn’t highlight those folks online but they were instrumental to the success of this endeavor. H.B. Neild, the Donalson Group out of Silsbee, so many… gave so much. Food. Dessert. Beef. Money.”
Dinner guests were treated to quite a show, too – all donated, of course: local artists Thomas Teague, Jamie Talbert, and Sage Elmore (Running On Credit), Eric Middleton (Midnight River Choir), The Teague Brothers Band, Kevin Galloway (Uncle Lucius) & Gumby, and Kevin Russell and ShinyRibs.
In the wake of the night of food and festivities, there was still funds to collect for dozens of in-person and online auction items awarded to the highest bidders.
“Everything sold! Southeast Texas showed up to support this event in every possible way I hoped they would,” Jones marveled. “I could have sold this room three times if I wanted to. When I say that, I truly mean it in every sense of the word.
“Locals artists donated art; artisans donated wares … I had more items than I knew what to do with. I didn’t really have to ask for anything. Southeast Texas offered, and filled every need we could have possibly had.”
More than a quarter-million in funding for disaster recovery isn’t too bad for less than month of work, Jones pondered: “Imagine what we can do when we have more time to prepare.”
Lasting love
“Moving forward, we want 409 Cares to be known for something that can help take care of our neighbors,” Jones said. This may the first initiative of the group, but Jones doesn’t want this to be the last. “There’s a lot of needs that will come along and, hopefully, we’ll be here to help with that.”
The inaugural 409 Cares event, supporting recovery efforts in Kerr County and surrounding affected communities, marked a beginning step toward establishing “409 Cares” as a 501(c)(3) organization, and Jones hopes Southeast Texas Texans continue to support the cause.
“Whether you are prepared to donate a little or a lot, your participation is critical to our success,” 409 Cares beckons to donors. “We aim to make a difference as vast as Texas itself. Our hope is to show those in need that ‘409 Cares.’”
If this event is any indication, Jones said, the future is a path of neighborly love born in the 409 area code.
“Southeast Texas made sure we wanted for nothing,” she said. “It’s my hope, my goal and my prayer that they will continue to do that as this goes on. Our goal is to stand in that gap when our friends and neighbors need love and support.”
Jones said a committee is still finalizing the end destination of funds raised for the Hill Country relief project.
“We’re going to take a minute and make sure we’re doing the right thing with the funds meant for doing the right thing,” Jones said. Churches, nonprofits and first responders are currently atop the list. “We are still vetting and doing our homework on which organizations will get what.
“Organizations first receiving funding will be those that took care of local families affected by the flooding, as well as those assisting in bringing home the victims, churches that helped with boots on the ground…
“People donated their time, their talent and their treasure and we want to be good stewards of all of that.”
Jones was adamant that supporters stay locked in to see the end results of the collective efforts.
“It was truly a beautiful night in Southeast Texas,” Jones again returned to the Aug. 1 event, one she said was filled with so much brotherly love that it was easily one of the best nights ever. “It did not matter what was in your bank account or what wasn’t, everyone showed up for a cause. Everyone was grieving for the pain our friends and neighbors are experiencing.
“There was amazing food, friendship, fellowship, love, and support. It was such a feel-good evening.
“That was all I could have asked for the night. That’s all any of us could have wanted.”
Even as 409 Cares is finalizing numbers for what funds were raised, “Donations are still coming in,” Jones said. “People are still stopping by with donations – which is really cool.”
Those wanting to still donate can drop by Courville’s, 1744 Rose Ln. in Beaumont, visit online at onecau.se/409-cares or text 409CARES to 243725.
Recapping the event in one sentence, according to Jones, “It truly just all fell together organically in a way that couldn’t have been choreographed any better.”