* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. THANK YOU TODAY [00:00:01] AND [Press Conference: "12th Annual Mayor's Back to School Fest Details"] I AM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THE PLANS FOR THE 12TH ANNUAL BACK TO SCHOOL FEST, PRESENTED BY SHELL. LET'S GIVE FROM SHELL ONE MORE TIME. THANK FOR SHELL AND THEIR PARTICIPATION IN ALL OF THEIR VOLUNTEERS THAT THEY BROUGHT, UH, THIS EVENT JUST WOULD NOT BE TAKING PLACE. AND STANDING WITH ME IS OUR TITLE SPONSOR, CHRISTINA JONES, VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION WITH SHELL, USA, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER OF BRIAN GREEN WITH THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK, AND CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE BRIAN AND HOUSTON FOOD BANK. THANK THEM FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY CONTINUE TO DO. BRIAN, THANK YOU. AND THEN MY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, OUR JANOWSKI, THIS IS A BUSY DAY FOR HER BECAUSE IT'S, THIS IS THE WEEK THAT CULMINATES OUR HIGHER HOUSTON YOUTH PROGRAM. SO WE WILL BE WITH, UH, HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS A LITTLE BIT LATER ON TODAY. THE FOLKS YOU SEE BEHIND ME IN YELLOW SHIRTS ARE THE WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS FROM SHELL, AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR GIVING UP OF THEIR TIME TO STUFF THESE BACKPACKS, THE SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR HOUSTON CHILDREN IN NEED. ALL 'EM WHO ARE ALSO GOING TO THANK, UH, OUR YOUNG SOCCER PLAYERS WHO ARE HERE, JOIN THE US TODAY. AS WELL, I WANT TO THANK THE EASTERN FOOD BANK TEAM FOR THEIR TIME IN RECEIVING MATERIALS AND ORGANIZING AND FISHING BACKPACK STUFFING INITIATIVE THIS YEAR'S EVENT. UH, WE'LL RETURN TO THE GEORGIA BROWN CONVENTION CENTER AND WILL TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY, AUGUST THE 13TH, UH, FROM 8:00 AM TO 2:00 PM SO LEMME REPEAT THAT. FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS WE'VE BEEN REIMAGINING AND IT'S BEEN A DRIVE THROUGH EVENT, BUT THIS YEAR WE WILL RETURN TO THE GEORGE BROWN CONVENTION CENTER, UH, AND IT WILL TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY, WHICH IS NEXT SATURDAY, NOT THIS COMING SATURDAY, AUGUST 13TH FROM 8:00 AM TO 2:00 PM BUT THE RETURN TO THE GEORGE BROWN, WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE THAN JUST BACKPACKS. STUDENTS WILL ALSO RECEIVE IMMUNIZATIONS, COVID, VACCINE BOOSTERS, VISION SCREENINGS, DENTAL EXAMS, HAIRCUT, VOUCHERS, AND OTHER ITEMS THAT OUR CHILDREN NEED TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR. ON A POSITIVE NOTE, I ALSO WANT TO THANK JET CO DELIVERY FOR PROVIDING THE TRANSPORTATION OF THESE BACKPACKS. JET CO CONTINUES TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THEIR GENEROSITY FOR THE 12TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR. OUR GENEROUS PRESENTING SPONSOR IS SHELL USA, AND I'M TREMENDOUSLY THANKFUL FOR SHELL'S CONTINUED FINANCIAL COMMITMENT, BUT MORE SO THEIR DEDICATION TO THE CHILDREN OF HOUSTON AND THEIR FUTURE. WE, WE CANNOT PRODUCE AN EVENT OF THE SCIENCE MAGNITUDE OR HELP OF THE CHILDREN THAT COME TO THIS PROGRAM WITHOUT SHELL'S GENEROUS SUPPORT. AND TO SPEAK MORE ON OUR PARTNERSHIP, PLEASE WELCOME CHRISTINA JONES, VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN SOURCES DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION WITH SHELL USA. CHRISTINA. THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER. I AM THRILLED TO BE BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR, AND SHELL IS HONORED TO BE BOTH THE FOUNDING AND PRESENTING SPONSOR OF THIS 12TH ANNUAL MAYOR'S BACK TO SCHOOL FEST. IT'S THROUGH THIS 12 YEAR STRONG PARTNERSHIP THAT TOGETHER WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE A VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO SET OUR YOUTH UP FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS. AND AS WE ALL KNOW, THAT IS CRITICAL TO DEVELOPING THE FUTURE TALENT PIPELINE AND TO GROW THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL CALL HOME AS ENERGY NEEDS OF THE WORLD CHANGES. SO DOES THE NEED FOR MORE INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS. AND IT SHELLS HOPE THAT BY CONTINUING TO CONTRIBUTE TO PROGRAMS THAT SET OUR STUDENTS UP FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS, THAT THEY'LL BE INSPIRED AND THRILLED TO TAKE ON THESE CHALLENGES AND TO BRING THE BIGGER OF CREATIVITY THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO PROVIDE MORE ENERGY TO MORE PEOPLE WHILE PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT. WE ARE PLEASED TO RETURN TO FACE-TO-FACE THIS YEAR AT THE GEORGIA GROWING PREVENTION CENTER, AND IT'S JUST A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE HOW SPECIAL IT IS TO COME TOGETHER IN PERSON AND TO BE ABLE TO GIVE TO THE NEEDS OF OUR CHILDREN, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE COMMUNITY. I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR EDUCATORS AND OUR EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION FOR HOW ALL YOU DO TO POUR YOUR HEARTS INTO THESE STUDENTS AND THEIR SUCCESS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER FOR YOUR CONTINUED LEADERSHIP IN THIS SPACE. WE APPRECIATE IT. AND THANK YOU TO YOUR AMAZING CITY OF HOUSTON TEAM AND ALL OF THE DEDICATION THAT EVERYONE CONTINUES TO GIVE TOWARDS INSPIRING OUR GENERATION. I'D [00:05:01] ALSO LIKE TO THANK THESE WONDERFUL SHELL VOLUNTEERS WITHOUT WHOSE GENEROSITY, NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE, SO THANK YOU. AND I WISH OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS A SUCCESSFUL YEAR. I'LL NOW HAND OVER TO BRIAN GREEN, OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HOUSTON FOOD BANK. BRIAN, THANK YOU CHRISTINE. WELL, SO GLAD TO SEE YOU HERE. UH, THIS IS A GREAT DAY. UH, ANYTIME THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO HELP KIDS HAVE A MORE SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL YEAR, WE WANT TO DO IT. OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, FOR HOUSTON FOOD BANK, YOU THINK ABOUT FOOD. UM, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS EVENT BECAUSE IT'S ANYTHING THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF COMMUNITY, OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE LOOK AT THE FOOD BANK, WHAT WE REALLY ARE AS A LOGISTICS ORGANIZATION. WE THINK OF OURSELVES AS LOGISTICS FOR THE MISSION. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE RESOURCE TO BE ABLE, ABLE TO HANDLE PRODUCT. WE HAVE VOLUNTEER ROOMS WE CAN HANDLE UP TO A THOUSAND VOLUNTEERS AT A TIME. SO WITH THESE SHELL VOLUNTEERS AND OTHERS KNOCKING OUT THE, THIS PRODUCT IS GONNA ENABLE 25,000 KIDS TO HELP GET OFF TO A GREAT START. VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT THAT. THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT TO SAY. I'M NOW GOING TO INTRODUCE, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, VERA KOSKI. UH, I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WHATEVER LANGUAGE YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO HER IN, SHE CAN DO IT. SHE SPEAKS EIGHT LANGUAGES. SHE'S BEEN TO 117 COUNTRIES AND ONE IS AN AMAZING PERSON. OLIVER, THANK YOU. NO PRESSURE . EXACTLY. NO PRESSURE. I WAS PLANNING TO INTRODUCE ALL OF THIS IN 117 LANGUAGES, BUT I FIGURED EVERYBODY NEEDS TO GO HOME. UH, JUST A JOKE. UM, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE BACK AT THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK. I HAVE BEEN HERE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AS A VOLUNTEER. UH, MY SON AND I OFTENTIMES COME HERE TO HELP PACK SOME OF THE BAGS. SO IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AS PART OF CITY OF HOUSTON TO ANNOUNCE THE BACK TO SCHOOL FESTIVAL. ON BEHALF OF MIA TURNER, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO OFFER A REMINDER THAT THE MAYOR'S BACK TO SCHOOL FESTIVAL IS NOT JUST THE FESTIVAL TO GET SCHOOL SUPPLIES. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GET TOGETHER FOR CHILDREN, TO MEET THEIR CLASSMATES, TO MEET KIDS FROM OTHER CLASSES, AS WELL AS FROM OTHER SCHOOLS. AND THERE'S NO BETTER PLACE TO ANNOUNCE THE FAIR FOR THIS SATURDAY THAN BEING IN THE FOOD BANK AT THE PLACE WHERE EVERYTHING BEGINS, WHERE EVERY CHILD HAS BEEN FED THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. FOR THIS WHOLE TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST WISH ALL THE KIDS, ALL THE TEACHERS AND PARENTS A SUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR. AND PLEASE SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY. TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NOT JUST BEING PART OF THE FESTIVAL, BUT ALSO LOOK AROUND THE VENDORS, TALK TO PEOPLE, GO TO THE HEALTH IMMUNIZATION OPPORTUNITIES, AND ALSO SEE WHAT OTHER OUT OF SCHOOL AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE AT THE FEST. FOR EXAMPLE, MY OFFICE OFFERS OUT TO LEARN. IT'S AN AFTER SCHOOL AND OUT SCHOOL PROGRAMMING AVAILABLE TO ALL CHILDREN. WE'LL BE AT THE FESTIVAL AND THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH MAYOR TURNER FOR YOUR VISION FOR CHILDREN TO HELP EVERYONE, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT SATURDAY, AUGUST 13TH AT 8:00 AM THANK YOU SO MUCH. NOW I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME BACK TO THE PODIUM TO CLOSE THE TX. THANK YOU. LEMME THANK OLIVER AGAIN. I WANNA, UH, THANK CHRISTINA AND SHELL USA AGAIN FOR BEING THE FOUNDING SPONSOR AND THE TITLE SPONSOR FOR THIS. AGAIN, AGAIN, THIS IS THE 12TH ANNUAL ON THANK BRIAN GREEN AND THE HOUSTON BOOT BANK. EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE DOING, UH, DO RECORD OF EDUCATION ON MAYOR KOSKI. AND THEN OF COURSE, I CERTAIN I WANT TO THANK OUR SPECIAL EVENTS FROM CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, FOR TAKING THE LEAD AND PUTTING ON THIS EVENT. PLEASE REMEMBER TO REGISTER YOUR CHILDREN@HOUSTONTX.GOV SLASH B AS IN BOY, T AS IN TOM, S AS IN SAM, HEALTH AS IN FRANK. AGAIN, UH, PLEASE REMEMBER TO REGISTER YOUR CHILDREN@HOUSTONTX.GOV [00:10:03] SLASH B AS IN TOM, T AS IN NOW, B AS IN BOY, T AS IN TOM, S AS IN SAM, AND F AS IN FRANK. SO WE ARE PREPARING FOR 25,000 KIDS. AND SO I'M HOPING THAT, UH, OUR SCHOOLS, OUR SUPERINTENDENTS AND OTHERS, HISD, SPRING BRANCH, YOU NAME IT, WILL DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN ALSO TO GET THEIR KIDS TO THE GEORGIA BROWN THAT'S ON AUGUST THE 13TH, UH, FROM 8:00 AM TO 2:00 PM FROM 8:00 AM TO 2:00 PM AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST THE BACKPACKS, UH, BUT IT WILL BE IMMUNIZATIONS, COVID, VACCINE BOOSTERS, VISION SCREENINGS, DENTAL EXAMS, HAIRCUT, VOUCHERS, AND OTHER ITEMS THAT OUR CHILDREN NEED TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR. ON A POSITIVE NOTE, THERE ARE NO COSTS, THERE ARE NO CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENTS. IF YOU ARE LIVING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, YOU, UH, CERTAINLY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BACK TO SCHOOL FESTIVAL AGAIN. UM, NOBODY'S ASKING ABOUT STATUS DOCUMENTING UNDOCUMENTED AT ALL. WE SIMPLY WANT TO HELP PREPARE OUR KIDS FOR THIS UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. UH, AND I'M ASKING PARENTS AND TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS TO REALLY, REALLY PUSH GETTING THESE KIDS REGISTERED TO COME. WE EXPECTING, YOU KNOW, WE ARE PREPARING FOR 25,000, SO PLEASE DO THAT. AND, UH, AND AGAIN, YOU CAN REGISTER@HOUSTONTX.GOV SLASH B AS IN BOY, T IN TOM, S AS IN SAM, F AS IN FRANK. HAVING SAID THAT OF ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE AS RELATES TO THIS EVENT, WHAT DOES, WHAT DOES EVENT MEAN TO YOU PERSONALLY? WELL, YOU KNOW, UH, A FEW YEARS AGO I WOULD'VE BEEN ONE OF THOSE KIDS. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU COME OUT OF A FAMILY OF NINE SINGLE MOMS, UH, IN THIS CASE, A SINGLE MOM THAT DIDN'T GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, I DON'T SAY THAT IN A NEGATIVE WAY, WAS A MAID AT THE OLD RICE HOTEL. SHE WAS REARING NINE KIDS BY HERSELF ON LIMITED FINANCIAL MEN. SO I WOULD'VE BEEN ONE OF THOSE KIDS REGISTERED TO COME AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS INITIATIVE. THERE ARE MANY, MANY OTHER KIDS IN OUR CITIES WHERE PARENTS, MOMS, DADS, UH, GUARDIANS ARE NEEDING SOME HELP. AND WHEN THEY'RE DEALING, THE FAMILIES ARE DEALING WITH INFLATION AND THE COST OF SO MANY OTHER THINGS. THIS IS ONE COST THAT WE CAN TAKE OFF THEIR LIST. SO THIS IS ABOUT HELPING OUR KIDS, UH, AND GIVING THEM WHAT THEY NEED, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY ARE IMPORTANT AND WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THEM. OKAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, WELL, FEEL FREE TO TALK TO ALL OF THESE PERSONS AND THE VOLUNTEERS BECAUSE REALLY THE VOLUNTEERS ARE THE VIPS, UH, TODAY. AND THEN MY, MY SOCCER TEAM, ADA, COME ON OVER HERE. LOOK, THIS, THIS IS, THIS IS MY SOCCER TEAM, UH, THAT, THAT HAS COME OUT AND HELPING US OUT AND, AND, UH, STUFFING THESE BACKPACKS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THEM. UH, SO LET ME ASK YOU, WHO'S GOING TO BE THE SPOKE SPOKESPERSON TO TELL ME, YOU KNOW, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO COME OUT AND, AND HELP? OH, QUESTION. WHO'S, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO COME OUT AND VOLUNTEER THIS MORNING? UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HELP OUT THE COMMUNITY AND GET BACK IN ANY WAY YOU CAN. WE'VE BEEN, I HAVE ALL OF OUR FRIENDS HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH THE FAMILY AND THE POSITION WE'VE BEEN PUT IN, AND IT'S, UH, IT'S BEEN AMAZING TO LIVE, UH, HOW WE HAVE. AND IT'S GREAT TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY ALL WE HAVE. AND MY MOM'S CHRISTINA JONES, SO SHE'S ALWAYS TAUGHT ME WELL AND GIVEN BACK IN JUST HELPING OUT THE COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS WE CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME YOUR NAME? I'M SHELBY JONES. AND, AND JUST, AND WHO ARE THESE GUYS? WHERE'D THEY COME FROM? WELL, WHAT, WHAT'S THE NAME OF THE SOCCER TEAM? SINGLE RANCH SOCCER TEAM. UH, WE GO TO SINGLE RANCH. SAY THEIR NAMES JILL. CAST. OKAY, SO LOOK, THIS, THIS REFLECTS, THIS REFLECTS, UH, JUST HOW RICH OUR COMMUNITY IS. AND SO FOR ANYONE WHO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OUR FUTURE, YOU KNOW, THESE GUYS REPRESENT OUR PRESIDENT AS WELL AS OUR FUTURE. AND THEY'RE OUT HERE VOLUNTEERING AND GIVING BACK. UH, 'CAUSE THE REALITY IS, IS THAT YOU WILL, YOU'VE BEEN BLESSED, YOU WANT TO PASS IT ON. SO AGAIN, AUGUST THE 13TH, GEORGE R. BROWN, 8:00 AM TO [00:15:01] 2:00 PM BRING THE KIDS OUT, NO FALL TO, UH, MEETING THEIR NEEDS. THANK YOU SIR. VERY MUCH THANK, THANKS FOR, I THINK IT WAS MORE THAN JUST A FEW YEARS AGO. I MIGHT BE EXAGGERATED A LITTLE BIT. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.