[Press Conference: "100 Pantries in 100 Days Initiative"]
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I AM COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD POLLARD, AND I WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL TO DISTRICT J.
I FIRST WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR BEING HERE AND ALSO WISHING HIM A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
I WANT TO ALSO THANK PASTOR HORTON OF ST.
LUKE'S GETHSEMANE METHODIST FOR ALLOWING US TO HAVE THE PRESS CONFERENCE HERE.
I WANT TO THANK SHANNON BUGS AND JEREMY LOGAN WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON COMPLETE COMMUNITIES AND ACKNOWLEDGE DIRECTOR STEVEN WILLIAMS OF THE CITY'S HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SHA ANI WITH THE MINETTE FOUNDATION, WHO'S ALSO THE CHAIR OF OUR FOOD INSECURITY BOARD, AND ALL THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE PRESIDENT AND STAKEHOLDERS.
TODAY WE ARE HERE TO ANNOUNCE THE 100 FOOD PANTRIES AND 100 DAYS INITIATIVE.
LAST YEAR I WAS APPROACHED BY THE MEN RED FOUNDATION TO ADVOCATE FOR THE CREATION OF A FOOD INSECURITY BOARD IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I LEARNED THAT FOOD INSECURITY IS WHEN A PERSON LIVES IN AN AREA THAT DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY OR HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS.
THIS MEANS THEY'RE IN AN AREA WITHOUT A QUALITY GROCERY STORE AND THEY DO NOT HAVE THE MEANS OR TRANSPORTATION TO EASILY GET THEM TO AN AREA WITH QUALITY OR HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS.
AND SO THEY RELY ON FAST FOOD, CONVENIENCE STORES AND GROCERY STORES THAT LACK CONSISTENT QUALITY OPTIONS.
I ALSO LEARNED THAT 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.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS ABOUT 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE.
SO ALMOST ONE THIRD OF HOUSTONIANS ARE FACING FOOD INSECURITY.
WITH UNANIMOUS SUPPORT OF CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, WE CREATED A FOOD INSECURITY BOARD WITH LEADING EXPERTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TASKED WITH FINDING WAYS TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY AND NEXT YEAR PRESENT THE COUNCIL A PLAN AS THEY WORK ON THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
ALSO COMING UP WITH PROJECTS ALONG THE WAY THAT CAN HELP ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY IN THE SHORT TERM.
ONE OF THE ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY, AND THAT IS THE 100 FOOD PANTRIES AND 100 DAYS INITIATIVE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WHIRLPOOL.
BUT BEFORE I DIVE DEEP INTO WHAT ALL THAT ENTAILS, I WANNA BRING UP THE MAYOR TO SPEAK ON WHY HE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO MAKE FOOD INSECURITY A PRIORITY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
LET ME, LET ME THANK THE, THE COUNCIL MEMBER JUST FROM THE VERY BEGINNING FOR HIS LEADERSHIP.
AND I CERTAINLY WANNA, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK, THANK ALL THE PERSONS WHO ARE STANDING HERE TODAY BECAUSE IT TAKES A COLLECTIVE EFFORT.
AND PASTOR, LET ME THANK YOU, UH, FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE TODAY.
PROBABLY NO BETTER VENUE THAN TO BE RIGHT HERE AT THE CHURCH, UM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC.
UM, AND THEN IT'S IRONIC THAT TOMORROW, UH, AT THE WHITE HOUSE, UM, THE, THE WHITE HOUSE IS CONVENING A CONVERSATION ON HUNGER, NUTRITION, AND HEALTH.
AND WE FIND OURSELVES STANDING HERE NOW.
SO, UM, LEMME JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, UH, CERTAINLY THE CHAIR OF THE HOUSTON FOOD INSECURITY BOARD, UH, REPRESENTATIVES, UH, UH, WELL WHIRLPOOL, UH, FOR STEPPING UP IN A, IN A MAJOR, MAJOR WAY.
UH, SHANNON BUGS, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF COM COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, UH, DIRECTOR WILLIAMS, WHO'S OVER OUR CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO IT'S NO FITTING PERSON TO REPRESENT THE TOPIC THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
DESPITE BEING ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES AT AN ECONOMIC JUGGERNAUT, HOUSTON CONTENDS WITH A MYRIAD OF ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND HEALTH RELATED PROBLEMS, INCLUDING FOOD INSECURITY, UH, WHICH IS DEFINED AS A LACK OF CONSISTENT ACCESS TO ENOUGH FOOD FOR AN ACTIVE HEALTHY LIFE.
UH, YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD SOME OF THE NUMBERS PRE PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARLIAMENT.
THOSE NUMBERS ARE REAL, UH, WHERE NEARLY 700,000 HOUSTONIANS LIVE WITH A MINIMUM ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD, AND THAT INCLUDES HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, IF WE ARE HONEST, SOME OF US WHO ARE STANDING HERE TODAY HAVE FOUND OURSELVES IN, IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS.
UH, AND AS MAYOR, I STILL RESIDE IN ONE OF THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT WE WOULD DEFINE AS UNDERSERVED AND UNDER-RESOURCED.
AND AN AREA WHERE THERE IS A FOOD DESERT, OUR CITY'S FOOD INSECURITY RATE IS ABOUT 4% HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, AND THAT IS QUITE FRANKLY, UNACCEPTABLE FOR THIS
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CITY TO ADDRESS THIS SYSTEMIC PROBLEM.UH, COUNCIL MEMBER P*****K, UH, WHO'S LED THE CHARGE, UH, UNANIMOUSLY ALONG WITH THE CITY UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE CREATION OF THE HOUSTON FOOD INSECURITY BOARD 10 MONTHS AGO.
NOW, LEMME JUST BE VERY CLEAR, UM, THIS IS AN IDEA THAT HE, UM, BROUGHT TO ME, UM, AND STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING A FOOD INSECURITY BOARD TO BE LASER FOCUSED ON THIS ISSUE.
UH, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WE DEAL WITH SO MANY ISSUES, UH, AT SUCH A HIGH LEVEL, YOU CAN TOUCH ON IT AND GO, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT WE NEEDED A BOARD THAT WOULD BE LASER FOCUS ON ADDRESSING THE FOOD INSECURITIES THAT EXIST WITHIN OUR CITY.
AND IT'S HARD FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN TO LEARN IF THEY ARE HUNGRY.
UH, AND SO, UH, I WANT TO GIVE A GREAT DEAL OF CREDIT TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, TO THE BOARD ITSELF FOR FOLLOWING THROUGH, UH, DURING COVID, WE PUT TOGETHER THIS HEALTH EQUITY RESPONSE TEAM FOCUSED ON WITH MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH PROVIDERS AND DATA-DRIVEN, UM, UH, DIRECTOR SHANNON BUGS LED THAT INITIATIVE.
WE PUT TOGETHER THIS, UH, HOUSTON RESTAURANT PROGRAM TO ASSIST OUR SENIORS IN NEEDING HOT MEALS DURING THAT TIME.
UH, BUT WHAT WE DISCOVERED IN EACH OF THE 10 COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, AND THIS HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THE 10, UH, RESIDENTS, PRIORITIZE EXPANDING HEALTH FOOD OPTIONS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY GARDENS, FARMERS MARKETS, COMMUNITY KITCHENS, AND AFFORDABLE HIGH QUALITY GROCERY STORES.
BUT MANY OF THESE FOOD, UH, SECURITY INITIATIVES, EVEN THOUGH THAT THEY'RE UNDERWAY, THEY ARE STILL PROVEN TO BE ELUSIVE.
GETTING GROCERY STORES TO LOCATE NEW STORES IN LOW TO MODERATE INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS CONTINUE TO BE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE.
AND THAT IS WHY 100 PANTRIES IN 100 DAYS IS SO IMPORTANT.
WHEN YOU FILL A FOOD PANTRY WITH FRESH PRODUCE, MEAT, DAIRY, AND NON-PERISHABLE FOOD, YOU ARE HELPING TO REDUCE THE HUNGER IN OUR CITY.
AND LEMME TELL YOU, WHEN THEY, WHEN THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE CHAIRMAN BROUGHT THIS IDEA TO ME, UH, I WOULD TELL YOU MY VISION WAS NOT AS BROAD AS THEIRS BECAUSE WHEN THEY SAID THAT WHIRLPOOL WAS DONATING THESE REFRIGERATORS, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT BACK ON MY COLLEGE DAYS.
AND SO I THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THOSE REFRIGERATORS BEING VERY TRANSPARENT, BUT IT WAS THEIR IDEA.
AND I SAID, UH, OKAY, AND HOW MUCH FOOD ARE WE PLANNING ON PUTTING IN THOSE REFRIGERATORS? UM, AND THEY TOLD ME, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE CONSTANTLY WORKING WITH THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK, AND I DID WANT ANNOUNCE THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK, THAT THE FOOD WOULD BE REPLENISHED AND WERE A PILL.
FOOD WOULD ENSURE THAT THE REFRIGERATORS CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO IF THERE WAS ANY PROBLEMS, THEY WOULD REPLACE THEM.
UH, LO AND BEHOLD, I WALKED IN TODAY AND, UH, THESE REFRIGERATORS ARE MUCH BIGGER THAN WHAT I HAD IMAGINED.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH IN FOOD INSECURITIES IN OUR CITY ON THE LEVEL THAT IT IS, THESE REFRIGERATORS NEED TO BE THIS SIZE.
UH, AND THE FACT THAT HOUSTON FOOD BANK AND ALL OF THESE PARTNERS ARE JOINING TOGETHER MAKES IT REAL.
YOU ARE, YOU'RE PROVIDING NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO CHILDREN WHO NEED SUBSTANCE TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL.
WE ARE PROVIDING RELIABLE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD TO OUR SENIOR CITIZENS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
WE ARE CARING FOR OUR NEIGHBORS WHO JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA HELP.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE ARE FOLLOWING THE GOLDEN RULE THAT EXISTS IN EVERY MAJOR RELIGION ON EARTH, TREATING OTHERS AS YOU WANT TO BE TREATED.
AND SO, IN CLOSING, LET ME THANK COUNCIL MEMBER POLLETT FOR LEADERSHIP.
LET ME THANK THE BOARD, WHICH WAS CREATED 10 MONTHS AGO FOR NOT WAITING A LONG TIME TO DO THINGS, AND NOT WAITING UNTIL NEXT YEAR TO COME FORTH WITH THEIR ACTION PLAN, BUT DOING THINGS AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO THE ACTION PLAN.
AND LET ME THANK ALL OF THESE PARTNERS, COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, THE PASTOR, DIRECTORS OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THE FOOD BANK, WHIRLPOOL FOR JOINING IN AND SOLVING THIS PROBLEM.
AND LASTLY, AS WE SAY, OFTENTIMES AT MY CHURCH, IF YOU WANT TO BE A BLESSING, THEN BE A BLESSING TO SOMEONE ELSE.
AND GOD WILL SEND BLESSINGS TO THOSE TO WHOM HE CAN SEND BLESSINGS THROUGH.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES FOR OUR CHILDREN AND FOR OUR SENIORS WHO ARE HUNGRY IN OUR CITY, CITY, WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING
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WE CAN TO MEET THEIR NEEDS, NOT TOMORROW, BUT TO MEET THEIR NEEDS RIGHT NOW WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.AND CAN YOU IMAGINE PEOPLE IN NEED GOING TO A CENTER AND GOING INTO THESE, ONE OF THESE REFRIGERATORS AND GETTING WHAT THEY NEED FOR THAT MOMENT IN TIME? SO FOR THE LEADERSHIP PROVIDED, COUNCIL MEMBER POLL AND OTHERS, UH, LET ME THANK YOU.
NOW LET ME TURN IT OVER TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD.
PEACE AND BLESSINGS BE UPON ALL OF YOU.
MY NAME IS SHAIK ABDUL, I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSTON FOOD INSECURITY BOARD.
THE IDEA OF THIS PROJECT REALLY CAME TO ROOT WHEN WE STARTED FOCUSING IN ON A BOARD AS A BOARD ABOUT CREATING A MOVEMENT OF HUNGER BECAUSE THERE'S SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK THAT HAPPENS AROUND FOOD INSECURITY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT NOT MUCH AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
AND KUDOS TO MR. MAYOR FOR REALLY HELPING DRIVE THIS FOOD INSECURITY BOARD FORWARD.
ALONG WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, THE CONCEPT OF CREATING A MOVEMENT AROUND HUNGER IS INVOLVING EVERY LEVEL OF OUR SOCIETY, NOT JUST A TOP DOWN APPROACH, BUT A BOTTOM UP APPROACH AS WELL.
AND SO WHEN WE REACHED OUT TO COMMUNITY CENTERS AND WE REACHED OUT TO FAITH COMMUNITIES AND WE ASKED THEM, HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED IN THIS FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER IN OUR CITY? THE QUESTION THAT KEPT COMING UP OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN WAS, HOW DO WE BRING A FOOD PANTRY TO OUR CHURCH OR TO OUR COMMUNITY CENTER? HOW CAN WE LOCALIZE THE ISSUE? AND SO WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING INTO THIS, WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING INTO THE PROJECT OF CREATING A FOOD PANTRY, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WORK WITH THE VERY RECEPTIVE, UH, HEALTH DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR WILLIAMS, AND COLLABORATING WITH THEM AND BRAINSTORMING ON WAYS TO WHERE WE CAN MAKE THE CONCEPT OF A FOOD PANTRY MORE COST EFFECTIVE.
SO WITH THAT, I'M PROUD TO SAY, JUST ELICIT, JUST MENTION A FEW DETAILS OF THIS INITIATIVE IS THAT THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS WAIVING INSPECTION FEES FOR THIS PROJECT.
INSPECTION FEES WILL BE WAIVED.
THERE'LL BE A REDUCTION IN PERMITTING FEES, AND THERE'LL BE EXEMPTIONS PROVIDED FOR THESE FRIDGES.
WHIRLPOOL HAS BEEN A VERY AMAZING PARTNER IN PROVIDING NOT JUST 100 FRIDGES, WHICH ARE SCRATCH AND DENT, SECOND CHANCE FRIDGES FOR SECOND CHANCE OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THEY'VE COMMITTED UP TO 250 FRIDGES FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO FIGHT THE ISSUE OF FOOD HUNGER.
BY INVOLVING OUR FAITH AND COMMUNITY CENTERS, NATURAL COMMUNITY HUBS TO HELP IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER, WE'RE REPOSITIONING THE CONVERSATION AND SAYING, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT NOT AFFECT JUST EVERYBODY.
IT AFFECTS MY NEIGHBORS BECAUSE WHEN WE SAY IT AFFECTS ALL HOUSTONIANS, THAT'S ONE THING.
BUT WHEN WE SAY IT AFFECTS OUR NEIGHBORS HERE AND HERE, IT MEANS SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
AND WHEN OUR PASTORS AND OUR IMAMS AND OUR RABBIS AND OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS FROM THE PULPIT SPEAK TO THEIR AUDIENCE AND SAY, TODAY WE NEED A REPLENISHMENT OF MACARONI AND CHEESE TODAY, WE NEED A REPLENISHMENT OF OATMEAL.
WE NEED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
THAT'S INVOLVING A WHOLE OF A COMMUNITY EFFORT IN THE ISSUE OF HUNGER.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HOPE TO DO AT THE HOUSTON FOOD INSECURITY BOARD, IS TO CREATE A MOVEMENT AROUND THIS ISSUE OF HUNGER.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD FOR ALWAYS BELIEVING IN US, AND THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER FOR REALLY HELP DRIVING THIS ISSUE FORWARD.
AND I WOULD ASK MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA TO ASK YOUR VIEWERS TO GO TO HOUSTON TX.GOV/FOOD INSECURITY, THAT'S HOUSTON TX.GOV/FOOD INSECURITY TO FIND THE APPLICATION.
SO IF YOU ARE A FAITH FAITH LEADER, IF YOU'RE A COMMUNITY LEADER AND YOU FEEL THAT A FOOD PANTRY IN YOUR COMMUNITY CENTER OR FAITH CENTER WOULD BE A GOOD FIT, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU TO TEACH YOU NOT ONLY HOW TO CREATE A FOOD PANTRY, GET IT STOCKED, DO THE RIGHT MESSAGING, GET ONE OF THESE NICE NEW BRAND NEW OR NICE BRAND NEW LOOKING FRIDGES, RIGHT? AND WORK WITH US TO CREATE THIS MOVEMENT AROUND HUNGER.
AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
I KNOW THAT THIS IS A, A CALL TO ACTION COMMUNITY, UM, EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY LOCATIONS SO FAR THAT HAVE COMMITTED ALREADY PREVIOUS TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT? AND, UM, WHERE ARE THOSE LOCATIONS? WELL, WE'RE STANDING IN A LOCATION RIGHT NOW THAT'S COMMITTED TO THE, THAT'S COMMITTED TO THE PROJECT, AND WE HAVE OVER A DOZEN COMMUNITY CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHO HAVE ALSO PLEDGED TO APPLY.
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THAT THERE'S GONNA BE MORE THAN 100 FAITH IN COMMUNITY CENTERS THAT WILL APPLY FOR THIS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME TERRIFIC BRIDGES AND WE HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY, ESPECIALLY THAT OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO PUSH THIS CONCEPT FORWARD.WE ARE GONNA BE LOOKING AT FOOD PANTRIES THAT ARE GONNA BE NEEDED IN THE MOST UNDERSERVED AREAS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN MAYOR TURNER'S COMPLETE COMMUNITIES PLAN.
PASTOR, YOU WANNA SAY JUST WHY YOU SIGN TO BE A PART OF THIS? OH, SURE.
UH, I'M JUST, UH, REMINDED OF THE SCRIPTURES.
UH, PSALM 23 SAYS YOU PRE, YOU PREPARE A TABLE BEFORE ME IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES.
UH, FOOD INSECURITY IS AN ENEMY AND IT DOESN'T DISCRIMINATE BASED ON AGE, RACE, RELIGION, CREED, AND GOD'S SOLUTION, IT SEEMS, IS TO SET A TABLE.
SO THAT'S WHY I FEEL, UH, LED AND I FEEL VERY PROUD OF OUR CHURCH TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
UH, WE JUST WANT TO BE THAT TABLE.
WE WANT TO BE THE TABLE THAT FIGHTS THIS ENEMY OF HUNGER.
UH, WE'RE VERY PROUD TO PARTNER WITH AN AMAZING NONPROFIT HERE IN HOUSTON.
UH, CCSC, CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTER, UH, WHICH IS ACTUALLY RUNNING, UH, AIR FOOD PANTRY IN OUR LOCATION RIGHT NOW,
UH, WE EVEN HAVE A, I'M REALLY PROUD OF THIS AS WELL.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A COMMUNITY GARDEN ON SITE SO THAT PRODUCE, IN ADDITION TO DONATIONS FROM THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK, UH, WILL GO IN THESE REFRIGERATORS.
UH, WE'RE VERY PROUD TO BE PART, TO BE PART OF A TABLE, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS, UH, THIS TEAM HERE TO HELP US SET THAT TABLE.
MAYOR, CAN I ASK A FOLLOW UP? YES, MA'AM.
IF, IF WE HAVE FAMILIES, UM, WHO ARE WATCHING, WE SEE THIS AND THINK, THIS IS IN MY COMMUNITY, OUR FAMILY NEEDS THIS, HOW WILL THIS WORK FOR THEM? A CATASTROPHE SPECIFICALLY AT THIS LOCATION OR ANY OF THE OTHERS IF THEY SAY, I NEED THIS, WHAT DO THEY DO IF THEY JUST SHOW UP? DO THEY CALL WHAT, WHAT'S THE PROCESS? I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT IF THERE ARE FAMILIES IN NEED OF THIS SITU OF, OF A PANTRY IN THEIR LOCATION, THE FIRST THING THAT I WOULD ASK THEM TO DO IS TO CALL 3 1 1 AND TO IDENTIFY FOOD, ACTIVE FOOD PANTRIES IN THE AREA SO THEY CAN GET IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE.
THE SECOND THING THAT I WOULD ASK THEM TO DO IS REACH OUT TO THEIR COMMUNITY CENTER AND TO, TO THEIR FAITH LEADERS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS PROGRAM EXISTS TO DIRECT THEM TO THE WEBSITE SO THEIR COMMUNITY LEADERS CAN GET THE BALL ROLLING.
THE PROCESS FOR THE PERMITTING, FOR THE INSPECTION, FOR THE FRIDGES TO ARRIVE AND THE FOOD TO GET STOCKED IS ANYWHERE BETWEEN THREE TO FOUR WEEKS.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE AMPLE TIME TO GET SET UP AND RUNNING.
AND THE CONCEPT OF THESE FOOD PANTRIES, A HUNDRED FOOD PANTRIES IN A HUNDRED DAYS SOUNDS BEAUTIFUL, SOUNDS AMAZING SOUNDS, WOW.
BUT WE REALLY WANNA BE THERE AS THE FOOD BOARD, AS THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AS OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT THESE FOOD PANTRIES HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO NOT ONLY REMAIN OPERATIONAL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BUT TO BE SUCCESSFUL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS WELL.
LEMME, LEMME JUST ADD, MOST OF YOUR FOOD INSECURITIES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON ARE LOCATED IN OUR COM, IN ONE OF OUR 10 COM COMPLETE COMMUNITIES.
THESE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE UNDERSERVED AND UNDER-RESOURCED.
THIS HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THE 10.
AND SO THROUGH THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THAT HANDS-ON APPROACH, YOU WANT TO LOCALIZE IT SO PEOPLE CAN FEEL LIKE THEY CAN JUST GO AND, UH, NOT GO THROUGH A WHOLE LOT OF BUREAUCRACY, JUST GO TO WHERE THE NEED IS.
SO LET ME, LET ME ASK, UM, SHANNON BUGS, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, KIND OF STEP IN TO SEE HOW COMPLETE COMMUNITIES WILL BE PARTNERING WITH, UH, 100 PANTRIES IN 100 DAYS TO HELP DRIVE THE MESSAGE TO LET THEM KNOW HOW THEY CAN ACCESS.
SO THE BOARD CHAIR'S, UM, COMMENT ABOUT GOING TO 3 1 1 TO GET THE INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE THE FOOD PANTRIES ARE, UM, NOW IN EXISTENCE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WE DO ALREADY HAVE FOOD PANTRIES WITHIN OUR COMPLETE COMMUNITIES AND AROUND THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THE WORK.
UM, THIS BOARD HAS DONE SOMETHING TREMENDOUS.
THE ORIGINAL COMMITMENT WAS 100, BUT THEY KNOW THAT THE NEED IS EVEN GREATER THAN THAT.
AND SO THERE, WHIRLPOOL HAS NOW COMMITTED TO GIVING US UP TO 250.
AND THE BEAUTY OF THIS IS THAT IT'S FRESH FOOD THAT GETS TO BE IN THE REFRIGERATOR THAT PEOPLE CAN COME BACK TO EVERY DAY.
AND SO WE HAVE MANY ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH OUR FOOD INSECURITY BOARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WHERE THERE IS A NEED WITHIN THOSE COMMUNITIES, THAT THERE IS A NEW FOOD PANTRY ADDED TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
OUR HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS DONE TREMENDOUS WORK AROUND COMMUNITY GARDENS, AND THEN THERE'S A LOT OF SUPPORT, UM, FROM THEM
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AS WELL AS URBAN HARVEST AND OTHERS IN ORDER TO HAVE FARMER'S MARKETS SO THAT THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MORE HEALTHY FOOD IN COMMUNITIES.BUT THESE REFRIGERATORS ALLOW THAT FRESH PRODUCE TO STAY LONGER, THE DAIRY AND THE MEAT PRODUCTS, ALL OF THAT.
AND FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SHOW UP AT THOSE FOOD PANTRIES, ALL OF THEM HAVE A WELCOME PROCESS, RIGHT? UM, PEOPLE TRY NOT TO TURN THEM AWAY.
HISD HAS FOOD PANTRIES WITHIN THEIR SCHOOLS, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH ANY AND EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO EXPAND THE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD THROUGH FOOD PANTRIES.
NOW, LET ME ADD THAT WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, WE'RE HAVING SO MANY FOOD DISTRIBUTION DRIVES ALL OVER THE CITY, BUT WHAT I NOTICED IS THAT WE WERE GETTING THESE GENERIC BOXES OF FOOD, ASSUMING THAT EVERYBODY EATS THE SAME TYPES OF FOOD IN DISTRICT J WE ARE THE MOST DIVERSE COMMUNITY PROBABLY IN AMERICA, OVER 80 LANGUAGES SPOKEN, AND PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT DIETARY NEEDS.
AND SO THEY WOULD SHOW UP TO THESE FOOD DISTRIBUTION DRIVES AND THEY'D GET A BOX OF FOOD, BUT IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT THEY DON'T REALLY EAT.
SO THE BEAUTY OF THE 100 PANTRIES AND 100 DAYS INITIATIVE IS THESE LOCAL PANTRIES WILL BE ABLE TO FIT THE NEEDS OF THEIR UNIQUE COMMUNITY.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THEIR CONGREGATION OR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THEIR IMMEDIATE SURROUNDING AREA.
AND SO THE FOOD THAT WILL BE IN THESE REFRIGERATORS, AT THESE PANTRIES, UH, WILL BE ABLE TO BE TAILORED TOWARDS THE DIETARY NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE WHO THEY SERVE.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE HUGE BENEFITS OF HAVING THESE LOCALIZED PANTRIES, UM, TO WHERE WE DON'T ASSUME EVERYONE EATS THE SAME FOODS AND WE CAN CATER TO ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMMUNITIES.
THERE'S ONE ADDED COMPONENT THAT I HADN'T MENTIONED TO COUNCILMAN POLLETT, AND THAT IS WE WANNA BUILD RESILIENCE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO WE ARE LOOKING TO IDENTIFY WHERE THESE 100 PANTRIES ARE, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE POWER STAYS ON.
AND SO WE WANT TO CONNECT THESE 100 PARENT PANTRIES TO OUR RESILIENCE HOUSTON PROGRAM, SUCH THAT IF THERE IS A STORM OR IF THERE'S A POWER OUTAGE, THESE REFRIGERATORS WILL CONTINUE TO STAY ON.
THAT'S THE PART OF BUILDING THE RESILIENCE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT, PEOPLE LOSE EVERYTHING.
BUT WITH THESE LOCATIONS, UH, WE WANT TO TIE THEM IN TO OUR SYSTEM SUCH THAT IF THE POWER GOES OUT IN THE, IN THE CITY, THESE SHELTERS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA? WELL, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR, UM, BEING HERE TODAY.
AGAIN, GO TO THE WEBSITE, UH, DIRECT, UH, THOSE IN NEED OR DIFFERENT COMMUNITY CENTERS OR CHURCHES THAT YOU BELIEVE WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF IT TO OUR WEBSITE.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THIS ROLLING AND PROVIDING FEEDBACK AND FOLLOW UP TO YOU ALL SOON.