100 Pantries in 100 Days Launches to Combat Food Insecurity in Houston
In 2021, the Minerat Foundation approached Council Member Pollard to advocate for the creation of a Food Insecurity Board in Houston. The Food Insecurity Board has been been working consistently to come up with a strategy to present to council next year to make the city more food secure. As they work on this comprehensive plan, they are also coming up with projects along the way that can help address food insecurity in the short term. One of those is the 100 Food Pantries in 100 Days initiative in partnership with Whirlpool. Over 500,000 people in Houston live in food deserts, and over 700,000 people do not have easy access to quality and healthy foods. The city of Houston is about 2.3 million people so, almost 1/3 of Houstonians are facing food insecurity. Whirlpool has agreed to provide up to 250 refrigerators to donate to local faith-based institutions and nonprofits that will enable them to have their own food pantry to serve their immediate community.
Special thanks to chair of the Food Insecurity Board Shariq Ghani, Mayor Sylvester Turner, Pastor David Horton of Gethsemane United Methodist Church, Complete Communities Director Shannon Buggs, and Public Health Director Stephen Williams.
**This is not a Houston Food Bank initiative.
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Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
Every September 15th is the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, where we celebrate the amazing contributions of members of the Hispanic community. Council Member Pollard got a taste of Guatemala at the family-owned El Quetzal Restaurant and Bakery in District J, where he tried a few common dishes including tamal de arroz con pollo on a banana leaf, garnachas, rellenito and pan dulce. El Quetzal was established in 1997 with recipes of traditional Mayan dishes handed down from generation to generation. Learn more about the eatery at https://www.elquetzalbakery.com/.
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Welcoming His Excellency Mohamed Bazoum to Houston
Council Member Pollard was honored to bring greetings on behalf of the City of Houston to welcome the President of the Republic of Niger, His Excellency Mohamed Bazoum at the Statesman’s Dinner for the Houston-Africa Energy Summit.
The Summit was a platform to discuss issues, general strategies and specific opportunities of oil and gas extraction, renewable energy engineering, carbon reduction and creating innovative energy distribution systems in Africa. These indicators will allow businesses in Houston to understand the issues and better support Africa's energy development. The roundtables provided a better understanding of Africa’s separate energy development paths to better position Houston, the global energy capital, for future engagement in Africa’s energy sector.
Special thank you to Posso Ganame, President of the Texas West African Chamber of Commerce, and the entire board for their leadership and to Rep. Ron Reynolds and Chris Olson with the Mayor’s Office of International Affairs.
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Celebrating St. Francis de Sales
Council Member Pollard brought greetings at St. Frances de Sales Catholic Church in Sharpstown as they celebrated their 60th church anniversary. St. Frances has been a beacon of light in District J and truly represents the cultural diversity that makes our community so special. Thanks to Father Joseph and the entire church leadership.
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Pet Pantry
Many families with pets are in need of assistance in feeding their four-legged loved ones. The District J office, in partnership with the Houston Humane Society, hosted another Pet Pantry event at Sharpstown Baptist Church. Residents were able to get free pet for their cats and dogs. Stay connected to this newsletter for future Pet Pantry events.
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Strengthening Business Ties with Taiwan
Taipei is the economic, political, educational and cultural center of Taiwan and one of the major hubs in East Asia. Council Member Pollard visited with Adam Yi, Deputy Executive Director of Taipei City. The meeting was on behalf of the Mayor of Taipei City, Ko Wen-je, to discuss strengthening ties and trade opportunities. Taipei City was Houston’s first sister city, and we have celebrated of 60 years of partnership. Special thanks to Mr. Kenneth Li, Southwest District, Houston First, and all others who helped facilitate our meeting.
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100 Black Men Honors Council Member Pollard for Leadership
100 Black Men of Metropolitan Houston recently honored Council Member Pollard with the Civic Leadership Award at their annual gala, 100 Knights in Shining Armor. The annual black tie event featured entertainer Eric Benet. The 100 Black Men organization enhances educational and economic opportunities for black boys and young men grades 6-12 through mentorship and community service. To learn more, visit https://100blackmenhou.org/ to donate or learn more about this organization.
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World's Largest 3D House to be Built in Houston
Houston will soon be home to the world's largest 3D printed house thanks to the collaborative efforts of the CIVE, PERI, and Hannah companies. Council Member Pollard joined Council Member Amy Peck for a press conference announcing the project and tour of the building. Once built, the house will also be the first 3D printed structure in the United States. The 3D technology allows for scalable projects, which could save time and money for larger structures such as multifamily and affordable housing concepts as well as commercial buildings. New technologies are what make Houston one of the most innovative cities in the nation. To view the technology in action, visit this link: https://youtu.be/_FvEZTUbktk
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BakerRipley Gulfton Sharpstown Campus
BakerRipley Gulfton Sharpstown Campus offers many programs and services that benefit the community, especially residents of District J. The non-profit connects families and individuals in need with opportunities so they can achieve their goals. Recently, Council Member Pollard had the opportunity to tour the campus and get a preview of exciting new highlights and future collaborations. Thanks to CEO Claudia Aguirre and Director of Community Engagement Graci Graces. To learn more about Baker Ripley and all they have to offer, please visit https://www.bakerripley.org/services/bakerripley-gulfton-sharpstown-campus.
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Richmond Plaza South Town Hall
The District J office hosted a town hall meeting for residents of the Richmond Plaza South community to discuss a proposed capital project to mitigate flooding in the area. Attendees posed important questions that sparked an insightful dialogue. Thank you to all the residents who came out, and special shout out to the Houston Public Works team for their presentations and coordination. It takes input from the community at-large to help make District J the best place to work, live and play.
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Video: Hurricane Preparedness
We are in the middle of hurricane season, and history shows that we are gearing up to the most active part of the season in the next couple of months, so it's important to be prepared. District J is working with Harris County Commissioner Jack Cagle and Pct. 4 to ensure we have all equipment, vehicles, and disaster recovery resources ready for any severe weather events that may happen. Residents are also asked to make sure you have enough food, water, and other emergency items in case of bad weather. Also, if you are able to get flood insurance for your home you are advised to do so. Watch the video below to see preparedness measures in place.
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District J Jobs
DistrictJJobs.com is an online portal for employment opportunities located throughout the greater Houston area. The website was created with District J residents in mind, however, every Houstonian is welcome to explore the site and take advantage of job opportunities. The site has listings from companies of all sizes, operating in a variety of industries. DistrictJJobs.com will be updated on a regular basis, with new postings added each month. Residents may visit the website directly or scan the corresponding QR code located at each sheltered METRO bus stop within District J.
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District J Projects
Fountain View Regional Lift Station
Fountain View between Westheimer and Gulfton is undergoing construction of a new lift station in the area. The purpose of the project is to install a sanitary sewer, plant trees, conduct roadway work and complete site restoration. The project is anticipated to be complete by mid-November.
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Street Rehab Initiative
Houston Public Works (HPW) Transportation & Drainage Operations (TDO) has completed the local/residential asphalt pavement rehabilitation projects in District J as part of the Mayor’s Street Rehabilitation Initiative. The work began in July and was completed within approximately three weeks.
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Schumacher Drainage Project
A project to improve drainage, pedestrian facilities, parking and mobility is underway. The construction is taking place on Bering Dr. from Hwy. 59 to Richmond Ave. and Beverly Hill St, Schumacher Lane and Star Lane, from Fountain View to Chimney Rock. The project is budgeted at over $21 million. So far, the following has been completed:
- Water line work along Star Ln. and Bering Dr.
- Sanitary sewer abandonment along Bering Dr.
- Storm box installation along Bering Dr.
- Asphalt repair on Beverly Hill due to soil failure
- Temporary asphalt on Star Ln.
- Temporary storm line installation along Star Ln.
The project's next steps include:
- Complete storm box installation on Bering Dr.
- Begin storm box installation along Star Ln. starting on Chimney Rock Rd., heading west
- Begin concrete pavement construction along Bering Dr.
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Clarewood Dr. Sewer Project
Houston Public Works is performing storm sewer improvements near Clarewood Dr. The project is scheduled to be completed in 242 days by Friday, February 10, 2023, weather permitting. The scope of the project is to upsize the storm sewer system based on the drainage analysis.
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HOT Team
The HOT Team assists with picking up scattered debris, removing heavy trash, tree waste and illegal dumping, and handling specific landscaping issues. All requests for assistance from the HOT Team should be submitted via 311. The HOT Team makes pickups according to the following schedule:
1st Thursday - Sharpstown
2nd Thursday - St. George, Gulfton and Richmond Plaza South
3rd Thursday - Braeburn Area
4th Thursday - Alief/Westwood
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District J Patrol is a three-pronged approach to public safety bridging the gap between the law enforcement officers in District J and the communities they serve. Sponsored by the District J office, this pilot initiative includes community patrolling by Houston Police Department’s Differential Response Team (DRT), the use of two Polaris vehicles and the District J Patrol Task Force. Residents may report small neighborhood violations and infringements, such as panhandling, loitering, overgrown lots, graffiti, homeless encampments and other public nuisances. To file a report, visit the online portal at www.DistrictJPatrol.com.
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District J Office Staff
The District J office staff is here to serve you.
David "Alex" Brizuela, Director of Constituent Services
Ana "Francis" Ellis, District Coordinator
Council Member Edward Pollard
Misty Starks, Director of Communications
Paul Young, Chief of Staff
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Council Member Edward Pollard
City Hall Annex, 900 Bagby, First Floor, Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (832) 393-3015
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