May 2020 Complete Communities
Please scroll below to learn more about what's happening in your community. Call us at 832-393-6600 if you'd like more information.
Acres Homes
Barnet Stadium serves as drive-thru free COVID-19 testing site As COVID-19 restrictions ease, the United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) increased their efforts to provide free COVID-19 testing to Houstonians. UMMC, a for-profit hospital based in Acres Home, is operating four sites in the Houston area, one of which is located at Barnet Stadium. This testing site is in proximity to vulnerable communities with testing gaps and some of Harris County’s highest rates of confirmed COVID-19 cases. For more information, visit https://www.ummcscreening.com/testing-locations.
Coordinating Team: Visit the Complete Communities Acres Home web page for more details. You can reach a Planner at [email protected].
Alief/Westwood
District F Face Mask Distribution: Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas, with the collaboration of Alief ISD, Houston ISD, and community volunteers, gave away 5,000 masks to those in need. The mask distribution took place on Saturday, April 25, 2020, at two locations: Alief ISD Crump Stadium and Piney Point Elementary.
https://www.facebook.com/TiffanyForAlief
Coordinating Team: Visit the Complete Communities Alief web page for more details. You can reach a planner at [email protected].
Chinese-American Civic Leaders’ Donation:
The Chinese-American Civic Leaders, with links to the Southwest Management District, donated essential medical gear, cash and food to show their support and gratitude for front-line healthcare providers treating COVID-19 patients at Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital. Donations were given away on Thursday, April 23.
The link to the video includes interviews with City Controller Chris Brown and District J Councilman Ed Pollard.
https://vimeo.com/411289213
Fort Bend Houston
Mask Up Fort Bend:
Houston
Christ Temple, the Peoples Church, in partnership with Fort Bend Super Neighborhood 41, Congressman Al Green, State Representative Ron Reynolds, Councilmember Martha Castex-Tatum and Houston’s Food Bank, held a COVID – 19 food and mask distribution on Saturday, April 25, 2020. Hundreds of residents received food and masks.
Coordinating Team: Visit the Complete Communities Fort Bend Houston web page for more details. You can reach a planner at [email protected].
Gulfton
District J Mask Distribution Council Member Edward Pollard, the Mayor’s Office, Lions Club, SW Management District, Asian Chamber of Commerce, and private donors gave away 15,000 masks on Tuesday, April 28, 2020. The mask distribution took place at the PlazAmerica Mall, with the help of volunteers and District J staff. Click J Mask Distribution for more details. https://www.facebook.com/pollardforhouston
SW Express Library:
The Southwest Express Library was planning to provide weekly programs and activities to all customers; unfortunately, all the Houston Public Library locations are temporarily closed to public to decrease the COVID 19 virus spread in the community. However, the Houston Public Library is busy developing a variety of online programs and learning opportunities for the public. Please visit the library website at www.houstonlibrary.org for the digital services and virtual programs online.
San Francisco Native:
Academy
San Francisco Nativity Academy, like all schools, have had to cancel for the school year. The Academy runs an extended school year thus had to also cancel their June program. They are distributing food, in conjunction with The Houston Food Bank, to their families every Monday. Tachers prepare work packets and activities for pick up on those days. Some of their teachers also communicate through phone apps with students and parents who have the ability to do so. They use videos for instruction, art activities, and PE activities on the apps. Although school continues, they cancelled their major fundraiser in April but are working to try to make up those funds.
SEWN GOODS: A Houston Collaborative
The Gulfton Super Neighborhood Council has been working with Anne Whitlock from Connect Community through the Sewn Goods collaborative to provide work from home opportunities to Gulfton sewists to make face masks. For more information please visit https://myconnectcommunity.org/pf/sewn-goods/
CHAT Activities in Gulfton:
CHAT has begun providing online programs to help children stay engaged and continue learning during school closures. They livestream their programming via their Facebook page at facebook.com/CHATCULTUREOFHEALTH/:
• Mondays at 3 pm – Storytime with CHAT
• Wednesday at 3 pm – Writing Seminar with CHAT
• Fridays at 3 pm
• Storytime with CHAT
OR
o CHAT Tips for Parent
Join us during our next program or check out our video replays. Here are a few you might want to replay today:
• Storytime with CHAT – Dr. Aisha Siddiqui reads "The Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling in English and Urdu.
• Storytime with CHAT – Dr. Aisha Siddiqui reads "Hopeless Homer" by Norman Najimy, with illustrations by Joan Holub.
• Why Stories Matter: An Introduction to CHAT’s Story Writing Workshop Series” with Rishab Ramapriyan.
You can find more videos and programming ideas at facebook.com/CHATCULTUREOFHEALTH.
Coordinating Team: Visit the Complete Communities Gulfton web page for more details. You can reach a planner at [email protected].
Kashmere Gardens
Covid-19 Relief in Kashmere Gardens and Fifth Ward:
The Black United Fund of Texas is a 501c3 organization that was founded in 1987 and is focused on self-sufficiency programs in low income communities. It serves as an anchor for supporting and developing funding initiatives that facilitate the positive growth and development in underserved communities. In the organization’s efforts to provide Covid-19 relief for the Kashmere Gardens and Fifth Ward areas, it has sought funding opportunities through Houston LISC to support the 3-D printing of respirator masks and face shields.
One of its programs, Seeds of the Soil, is an agricultural research farm that uses agriculture to teach STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Currently, it is assessing the needs of food in these communities and giving fresh vegetables to families. Seeds of the Soil is also providing out-of-school enrichment related to gardening through online platforms. Be a Builder of Self Sufficiency (BOSS) is another program, which is providing entrepreneurship enrichment to the youth online. Participants can register through its website at www.BOSStogether.org/registration. The program plans to utilize the 3-D printers for its entrepreneurship courses. These out-of-school enrichment programs are funded by the Harris County Department of Education’s City Connections grant.
For more information you can go to www.buftx.org, follow the Black United Fund of Texas on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/buftx/, or follow the Seeds of the Soil program on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/seedsofthesoil/.
Safeguarding Others w/Sickle Cell Covid-19 Relief Kit:
On April 28, 2020, at the Fifth Ward Multi-Service Center, the Sickle Cell Association of Houston distributed covid-19 relief kits to people with sickle cell disease. To reserve a kit, residents had to register on its website or call or text a representative. For more information on the organization’s services, you can go to www.sicklecellhouston.org or dial 832-252-9293. You can also follow the organization on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/sicklecellhouston/.
Covid-19 Relief Kit. Photo by Sickle Cell Association of Houston.
Coordinating Team: Visit the Complete Communities Kashmere Gardens web page for more details. You can reach a planner at [email protected].
Magnolia Park-Manchester
Free Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing: Free testing is available at Houston Community College Southeast’s campus at 6815 Rustic Street. Testing is available from 9 am to 4 pm or until capacity is reached with no pre-registration needed. Thank you to United Memorial Medical Center for providing this service to help keep our community safe!
Coordinating Team: Visit the Complete Communities Magnolia Park - Manchester web page for more details. You can reach a planner at [email protected].
Near Northside
Insta11ations:
is an art project of the City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA) and Art League Houston, with funding made available through Houston Arts Alliance. This project is made up of 11 artists who create distinct art experiences within each Council District. They will re-imagine public spaces through stories of social justice and equity. For District H, the project site is Irvington Park in Near Northside.
Artist-photographer Violette Bule wants to install an interactive piece of art that is deep-rooted in listening, data collection, and collaboration. She conducted small group interviews and distributed a bilingual survey to collect feedback. Residents expressed what they think of their community and what they would like to see be different. They will see their collective voices expressed as functional sculptures within a grid, representing streets like Moody, Cavalcade, Evelyn, Cochran, Robertson, Cetti, and others.
After completing the installation, Ms. Bule will open a portal on her website for residents to provide feedback, join discussions, read related articles, and find information to contact their elected officials and community organizers. Using augmented reality (AR) technology, the data collected from the surveys and interviews will be embedded into each sculpture. Through a free app, users will be able to access the data and use it as a tool to advocate for changes they will like to see. For any questions about the project, you can contact Violette Bule at [email protected].
Irvington Park
Coordinating Team: Visit the Complete Communities Near Northside web page for more details. You can reach a planner at [email protected].
Second Ward
New Mural Coming to Second Ward:
Work is underway on a new mural at 2219 Canal Street in Second Ward by artist GONZO247. The East End District, Frost Bank, CultureMap, and Triten Real Estate Partners are partnering on this project to continue making Second Ward and the East End a great place for art! For more information check out the article at https://houston.culturemap.com/news/arts/04-21-20-frost-mural-east-end-gonzo247/ and stop by Canal and Navigation when it is finished.
Coordinating Team: Visit the Complete Communities Second Ward web page for more details. You can reach a Planner at [email protected].
Sunnyside
Mask & Meals Distribution:
Council Member Evans-Shabazz in collaboration with State representative Shawn Thierry, Congressman Al Green, Senator Borris Miles, Commisioner Rodney Ellis, Council Member Castex-Tatum, and several local faith and commutiy leaders held several masks, gloves, and meal give aways to those in need during the month of April. Follow @districtdhoustontx on Facebook or Instagram for updates on ongoing events.
Covid 19 Testing Site:
Worthing High School was utilized as a temporary mobile testing collection site for Covid 19 from April 29 – May 3.
The Sunnyside neighborhood in south Houston has roughly 3.1 cases per 1,000 residents, according to a Chronicle ZIP code analysis that Turner cited during a news conference.
“This will bring vital COVID-19 testing resources closer to vulnerable communities,” Turner said. “We know that African-Americans and Hispanics, as well as the elderly and people with underlying health conditions are disproportionally getting sick and dying from COVID-19.”
The Houston Health Department is operating the site with the Texas Department of Emergency Management.
Coordinating Team: Visit the Complete Communities Sunnyside web page for more details. You can reach a Planner at [email protected].
Third Ward
Residents were advised to quarantine in their homes to minimize the impact of COVID-19, but if you are homeless, protection from this pandemic may be impossible. Rise Houston, a new church in Third Ward, is doing their part to help vulnerable residents by installing hand washing stations across Third Ward, as well as across Houston. For more information about the hand washing stations or to volunteer, visit www.risehouston.net.
Coordinating Team: Visit the Complete Communities Third Ward web page for more details. You can reach a Planner at [email protected].