Marty Haley

In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Marty Haley and his sons Cody, Casey, and Wyatt stepped up to aid those stranded by rising flood waters. The men used Cody’s 5-ton army vehicle to evacuate an assisted living facility and transport police and county sheriffs to affected areas where normal emergency vehicles were unable to venture. In total, the Haley family helped 260 people and their pets to safety over the course of four days.

Marty Haley shared that one of the most revealing lessons he learned during rescue and recovery efforts was how vulnerable the elderly become during times of disaster. Motivated by what he witnessed, the Santa Fe, Texas, resident is taking steps to help improve response to senior care facilities in the future.

“I joined Houston Mayor [Sylvester] Turner in forming a taskforce to regulate assisted living/boarding homes in Houston to ensure that we know where these facilities are and can direct assistance to them in a [timelier] manner during the next disaster,” Marty said.

Marty is also a longtime volunteer through the Shriners International organization and often dresses up as one of their infamous clowns to entertain local children and raise money for scholarship funds.

“We [all] have the ability to truly make a difference in our communities and to our neighbors,” Marty said. “Whether helping in a disaster, raising scholarship funds, or being a Shriner clown for hospitalized kids – this commitment is where we find joy.”

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Marty? Visit All For Good to find local volunteer opportunities.