[Press Conference: "Greater Houston Disaster Alliance Launch"]
[00:00:19]
UM, IT'S GREAT TO SEE SO MANY FAMILIAR FACES IN THE ROOM, UM, INCLUDING, UM, OUR PARTNERS AT GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.UM, SO MANY BOARD MEMBERS, LEAD FUNDERS, AND, AND THE VOLUNTEER LEADERS WHO DO SO MUCH OF THIS WORK.
UM, SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE TODAY.
UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DUNNO ME, MY NAME IS AMANDA MCMILLAN, I'M PRESIDENT AND CEO OF UNITED WAY OF GREATER HOUSTON.
UM, ON BEHALF OF STEVE MASLIN, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND MYSELF, UM, WE ARE SO EXCITED TO WELCOME YOU ALL HERE TODAY FOR AN EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT.
UM, AND I THINK PROBABLY NOT LOST ON ANYONE IN THE ROOM, UM, THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY ON MAY 31ST WITH TOMORROW BEING THE OFFICIAL START OF HURRICANE SEASON.
UM, ALTHOUGH OUR NOTION OF WHAT CONSTITUTES A DISASTER HAS CERTAINLY BEEN CHALLENGED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
UM, BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE, THE WORK OF GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND UNITED WAY TOGETHER IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS ALONE, OUR TWO ORGANIZATIONS HAVE PARTNERED WITH OUR DONORS AND OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING MANY INCREDIBLE NONPROFIT LEADERS IN THIS ROOM TO RAISE $180.9 MILLION.
UM, THROUGH, THAT'S THROUGH FIVE DISASTER FUNDS, UM, AND DISTRIBUTED GRANTS TO NONPROFIT PARTNERS WHO SUPPORTED 700,000 OF OUR NEIGHBORS AS THEY RECOVERED FROM THE 2021 WINTER STORM, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, HURRICANE HARVEY TROPICAL STORM AMELDA.
UM, THROUGH THIS WORK, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT NEIGHBORS LIKE MS. TRAN.
SHE LOST HER JOB DURING COVID, AND HER FAMILY WAS ON THE VERGE OF LOSING THEIR APARTMENT.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE WORK, WE WERE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND DO AS A COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED DURING, DURING COVI, THEY WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
UM, AND NEIGHBORS LIKE ANGELA AND CRAIG, THEY HAD FINALLY MANAGED TO GET THEIR HOME REPAIRED AFTER HARVEY, AND HERE CAME THE WINTER STORM.
BUT THROUGH OUR WORK TOGETHER, WE WERE ABLE TO HELP THEM GET THEIR HOME REPAIRED AND GET THEM BACK ON THEIR FEET AGAIN.
AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF NEIGHBORS JUST LIKE THEM, RECOGNIZING THAT HOUSTON HAS AND WILL HAS BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO FACE AN INCREASED RISK OF NATURAL DISASTERS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID, UM, IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS REALLY FORMED A, A VERY INTENTIONAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
UM, TODAY WE'RE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE GREATER HOUSTON DISASTER ALLIANCE.
THIS IS AN INITIATIVE THAT BRINGS TOGETHER BOTH ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, THIS REALLY BRINGS TOGETHER BOTH OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS, UM, WITH A COMBINED 35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN PHILANTHROPIC DISASTER RESPONSE EFFORTS TO BE DISASTER READY YEAR ROUND, AND SUPPORT OUR REGION'S RESILIENCY.
ONE SUPER OBVIOUS THING THAT I'M GOING TO MENTION RIGHT NOW IS THAT THIS WORK IS IN SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT, IT DOESN'T AND CAN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT THE INCREDIBLE CITY AND COUNTY LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE BEEN SO BLESSED TO HAVE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, THE LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY HAS RECEIVED FROM MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER AND COUNTY JUDGE HIDALGO HAS JUST BEEN FRANKLY, IMMEASURABLE.
UM, WE'VE BEEN GRATEFUL BOTH OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE CITY AND COUNTY OVER THE YEARS TO ENSURE THAT OUR MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS ARE RECEIVING THE SUPPORT THEY NEED DURING TIMES OF DISASTER.
UM, SO MAYOR AND JUDGE HIDALGO WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP AND, AND WE'RE, WE'RE TRULY DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
UM, AS WE STAND TOGETHER TODAY AND BUILD OUT THIS INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE SYSTEMS AND NETWORKS IN PLACE TO RESPOND QUICKLY, EQUITABLY, AND EFFECTIVELY IN TIMES OF DISASTER, UM, THE LAUNCH OF THIS ALLIANCE WOULD ALSO NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF TWO PARTNERS WHO ARE THERE EVERY DAY FOR US AS A COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE THERE EVERY TIME IN TIMES OF DISASTER, AND THEY'RE CERTAINLY HERE FOR US TODAY.
RIGHT NOW, I'M SO EXCITED TO SHARE THAT BOTH ENBRIDGE AND PHILLIPS 66 HAVE MADE A COMBINED $1.5 MILLION INVESTMENT IN THE EFFORTS OF THE GREATER HOUSTON DISASTER ALLIANCE.
[00:05:01]
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR GENEROUS LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT, AND WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM THEM SHORTLY.UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GENUINELY, TRULY EXCITED TO BUILD THIS BIGGER, BROADER TENT OF PARTNERS FOCUSED ON DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESILIENCY YEAR ROUND TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT ONLY READY FOR THE NEXT DISASTER, BUT THAT WE SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR COMMUNITY IN BECOMING MORE RESILIENT.
AND WITH THAT, I'D LOVE TO WELCOME MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER AND JUDGE, UH, COUNTY JUDGE LENA HIDALGO TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS.
AND IT'S, IT'S JUST AN HONOR TO BE WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
AND I THINK THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM JUST SHOWS, SHOWS THE SPIRIT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHICH IS, UH, COMING TOGETHER AND, AND REALLY THAT UNITY.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK, UM, FIRST OF ALL, MAYOR, FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP, ALWAYS.
IT'S REALLY A JOY TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU, UH, EVEN IN THE TOUGHEST OF TIMES.
AND OF COURSE, UM, THANK YOU TO THE UNITED WAY FOR HAVING US.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, AMANDA TO, UH, STEVE MASON AT THE THE GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
AND THE REPRESENTATIVES HERE FROM, UH, ENBRIDGE AND PHILLIPS 66, I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEIR INVESTMENT.
THAT WAS A $1.5 MILLION INVESTMENT, $750,000 A PIECE, WHICH WILL FUND THE ALLIANCE'S STAFF.
SINCE I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A SHARE OF DISASTERS TOGETHER MORE THAN OUR FAIR SHARE.
I WOULD SAY WE'VE BEEN THROUGH NOT ONLY HURRICANES AND FLOODS, BUT CHEMICAL FIRES, THE WINTER FREEZE.
OF COURSE, LET'S NOT FORGET THE PANDEMIC.
SO BY NOW, WE KNOW WE CAN'T JUST SIT BACK AND HOPE THAT THIS YEAR'S HURRICANE SEASON JUST WON'T BE THAT BAD.
WE HOPE FOR THE BEST, BUT WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THE WORST.
WE KNOW WE CAN'T CONTROL WHEN CRISIS WILL STRIKE, BUT WHAT WE CAN CONTROL IS PREPARATION.
WE HAVE TO BE CONSTANTLY PREPARING, AND WE DO THAT PREPARATION WHEN THE SKIES ARE BLUE.
FORTUNATELY, OUR COMMUNITY IS BOTH RESILIENT AND GENEROUS, AND THAT HELPS US WITH THE PREPARATION.
WE WORK YEAR ROUND, WE WORK THROUGH SCENARIOS.
WE WORK TOGETHER WITH THE CITY, WITH OUR PARTNERS.
WE EXCHANGE BEST PRACTICES WITH NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS.
WE INVEST HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, BUT THERE'S MORE THAT WE CAN DO IN TERMS OF PREPARATION.
ANOTHER WAY TO PREPARE IS TO GET READY TO DISBURSE AID QUICKLY ONCE DISASTER STRIKES.
I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE GENEROSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
ALL OF US HAVE, AND IT IS SUCH A POINT OF PRIDE FOR ALL OF US.
HOUSTON HAS RANKED AS ONE OF THE MOST PHILANTHROPIC CITIES IN THE NATION.
CHARITY NAVIGATOR IN 2016 AND 2015 RANKED HOUSTON AS THE MOST GENEROUS METROPOLITAN AREA IN THE US.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT SURPRISES ANYONE IN THIS ROOM.
WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE, NONPROFITS, CORPORATIONS READY TO STEP UP THE MINUTE SOMETHING HAPPENS IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING THEY ALREADY DO.
JUST IN THE PAST 20 YEARS, THE HOUSTON AREA COMMUNITY HAS RAISED $350 MILLION IN DISASTER RELIEF FOR THE UNITED WAY AND THE GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
I THINK THAT DESERVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
UNTIL NOW, WE DID NOT HAVE A FULLY DEVELOPED DISASTER INFRASTRUCTURE TO RELIEF, UH, TO DIRECT RELIEF FUNDS AND DONATIONS.
IN THE PAST, CORPORATIONS, INDIVIDUALS WOULD COME TO US, COME TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND SAY THEY WANTED TO HELP, BUT IT WASN'T ENTIRELY CLEAR HOW WE WERE STANDING IT UP.
EACH TIME WHEN HURRICANE HARVEY HIT PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD, AS YOU REMEMBER, WANTED TO PITCH IN, AND IT TOOK A MOMENT TO HAVE A CENTRALIZED PLACE TO GET THEM TO GO.
THAT'S WHY I'M SO PROUD TO BE UNVEILING THIS GREATER HOUSTON DISASTER ALLIANCE TODAY ALONGSIDE MAYOR TURNER AND ALONGSIDE THE UNITED WAY OF GREATER HOUSTON AND THE GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
WHAT IS THE DISASTER ALLIANCE? IN SHORT, IT BRINGS TOGETHER THESE TWO MAJOR DISASTER GIVING, UH, GIVING ORGANIZATIONS THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY TO DISTRIBUTE RESOURCES QUICKER AND MORE EQUITABLY.
THE FOUR OF US ARE TRIED AND TRUE PARTNERS.
WE'VE RAISED AND DISTRIBUTED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THROUGH HURRICANES AND OTHER DISASTERS THROUGHOUT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THEIR GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND UNITED WAY DISTRIBUTED $18.7 MILLION IN PARTNERSHIP FUNDS IN ADDITION TO $30 MILLION FROM THE HARRIS COUNTY COVID RELIEF FUND.
AND WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS TO DEVELOP THIS ALLIANCE.
NOW, I DO WANT TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT.
WE'RE NEVER GONNA RAISE ALL THE RESOURCES WE NEED TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY FULLY WHOLE AFTER A DISASTER.
[00:10:01]
TERRIBLE, AND IT'S GONNA BE DIFFICULT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO GET PAST THAT.BUT THESE FUNDS WILL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
WE HAVE ORGANIZATIONS THAT MIGHT GIVE INDIVIDUALS FUNDS FOR A NIGHT OR TWO WITH A PLACE TO STAY.
WE HAVE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT MIGHT COME IN LATER.
SOMETIMES IT TAKES THEM A FEW WEEKS AS IT DID WITH THE TORNADO, COME IN WITH SOME GRANTS OR DIRECT AID.
BUT THERE'S THAT GAP FOR PEOPLE WHO MAYBE HAVE LOST THEIR HOME AND NEED TO MAKE A FIRST MONTH DEPOSIT IN A NEW PLACE THAT NEED TO MAKE RELOCATIONS.
THIS IS THE KIND OF AID THE ALLIANCE WILL PROVIDE IN A MAJOR DISASTER.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT SUDDENLY WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO HELP EVERYONE, BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HELP MORE PEOPLE THAN EVER BEFORE AND FASTER THAN EVER BEFORE.
FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE WILL HAVE STANDING INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE YEAR ROUND.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO RAISE MORE MONEY, LEVERAGE OUR STRENGTHS BETTER THAN EVER JOINING FORCES.
SO WE'RE ALL MARCHING TOGETHER TO CALL ON THE GENEROSITY OF THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET AID OUT FASTER.
THE UNITED WAY AND GHCF HAVE ALREADY LEARNED TO DO THAT EVEN FASTER.
DURING OUR FIRST ROUND OF COVID-19 FUNDS, THOSE WENT TO THE COMMUNITY WITHIN 24 DAYS ALREADY, A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT FROM THE USUAL THREE TO FOUR WEEKS.
WHEN WINTER STORM MUY HIT A YEAR LATER, THE TIME PERIOD GOT EVEN SHORTER.
THE FIRST ROUND OF RELIEF FUNDS WENT OUT WITHIN FOUR DAYS OF THE STORM.
AND WE WANNA GET EVEN QUICKER, AND WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GUARANTEE THAT WE'RE HELPING THOSE ACCORDING TO NEED.
WE WILL RELY ON A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH, SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO HELP THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST TO ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO APPLY.
WE'LL USE DATA FROM FEMA AND WE'RE GONNA WORK VERY CAREFULLY WITH, UH, A GROUP OF PEOPLE, A BOARD THAT IS GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FUNDS ARE DISPERSED APPROPRIATELY.
ONE OF THE REASONS I LOVE THIS JOB, AND ONE OF THE REASONS I RAN FOR OFFICE IS BECAUSE I WANTED TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY DURING DISASTERS.
AND AFTER DISASTERS, BY THEIR VERY NATURE CRISES BRING DISARRAY AND CHAOS.
MANY OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS, BUT THIS ALLIANCE WILL EMPOWER US, EVEN IN THOSE SITUATIONS, TO CONFRONT CHALLENGES BETTER AND TO EMERGE STRONGER THAN BEFORE.
I AM SO PROUD THAT THIS ALLIANCE WILL HELP HARRIS COUNTY BE EVEN MORE RESILIENT AND THE MOST RESILIENT WE CAN BE RIGHT NOW AS WE CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR AN EVEN MORE RESILIENT FUTURE.
LET ME REPEAT MY REMARKS IN SPANISH AND THEN I'LL PASS IT ON TO MAYOR TURNER.
CIA, LOS AMANDA MCMILLIAN CON UNITED WAY, UH, CEO, STEVE MALIN, THE GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, TAM 66 E, ENBRIDGE CHARITY NAVIGATOR, METROPOLITAN UNITED WAY, THE GREATER HOUSTON EL GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION,
[00:17:29]
MAYOR TURNER.LET ME START OFF BY, UH, CERTAINLY THANKING, UH, JUDGE HIDALGO AND, AND IT'S BEEN, UH, AN HONOR TO HAVE WORKED, UH, WITH HER OVER THE LAST, UH, FOUR YEARS ON, ON MANY OF THESE DIFFERENT ISSUES.
SO LET ME THANK HER FOR HER LEADERSHIP, UH, TO AMANDA, UH, AND TO STEVE.
UM, ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE BOB HARVEY, HIS WITH THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP, UH, TO ALL OF THOSE AFFILIATED WITH THESE RESPECTIVE ORGANIZATIONS TO BRIDGE TO PHILLIPS 66.
AND I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, UH, ANDY, ECONOMIC CHIEF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICER FOR THE CITY AND THE CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, MARETTE HUNTER, WHO'S HERE.
LOOK, I'M NOT GOING TO, UM, REPEAT BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD IT.
UM, BUT I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GREATER HOUSTON DISASTER ALLIANCE.
UM, IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, WE HAVE FACED, UH, SEVEN FEDERALLY DECLARED DISASTERS.
AND IF YOU GO BACK 20 YEARS, I THINK WE'VE FACED ABOUT 14.
UH, SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE ARE NOT, UM, WE HAVEN'T HAD TO FACE THEM.
WE HAVE, AND I WILL SAY TO YOU EACH AND EVERY TIME IN SOME WAY, SOME FORM, SOME FASHION, UM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, UM, THE REGION, WE HAVE RESPONDED.
UM, IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE SMOOTH THIS WAY, UH, THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY, BUT WE HAVE MANAGED TO RESPOND, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS A GENEROUS COMMUNITY.
AND WHEN HOUSTONIANS PEOPLE IN HARRIS COUNTY AND THE REGIONS SEE THE NEED OF PEOPLE, PEOPLE RESPOND.
UM, BUT THE QUESTION IS, CAN WE DO IT BETTER? BECAUSE WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING, UH, AND I CAN RECALL IN SEVERAL OF THESE CASES, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, WE WOULD STAND UP OUR EFFORTS A UNITED WAY, AND, UH, AND THEN WORKING WITH THE GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, WE WOULD ALL HAVE THESE DIFFERENT RELIEF EFFORTS.
AND PEOPLE, BUSINESSES WOULD CALL AND SAY, OKAY, WHERE SHALL WE
[00:20:01]
CONTRIBUTE? UM, AND QUITE FRANKLY, PEOPLE WANT TO, UH, GET THE, UH, GET MEET THE NEEDS OF FOLK WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN DISTRESS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THEY DON'T WANT TO TICK OFF THE CITY IN HARRIS COUNTY.UH, AND AT THE SAME TIME, THEY WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO ALL OF THE RELIEF EFFORTS.
UM, AND MIRACULOUSLY, UM, WE HAVE MANAGED TO MEET THE NEEDS, BUT CAN IT, CAN IT BE BETTER? CAN THE INFRASTRUCTURE BE MORE STREAMLINED? CAN WE MEET MORE EFFICIENT? CAN WE EXERCISE BEST PRACTICES? AND THE ANSWER IS YES.
I'M REMINDED, UM, SEVEN YEARS AGO, AND BOB, I KNOW YOU CAN IDENTIFY THIS, WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT BUILDING AN ECOSYSTEM, UM, WHEN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WAS LAGGING BEHIND OTHER COUNTRIES AND BUILDING AN INNOVATIVE ECOSYSTEM.
AND IT WAS NOT TO SAY THAT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE DID NOT HAVE INNOVATION TAKING PLACE.
IT WAS TAKING PLACE IN THE ENERGY SECTOR, IN THE, UM, AT THE MEDICAL CENTER, UH, NASA, UH, THE ENERGY.
SO THE INNOVATION WAS TAKING PLACE, BUT WE HAD NOT BUILT AN INTEGRATED ROBUST ECOSYSTEM.
AND ONCE WE DECIDED, UH, THAT IT WAS BETTER FOR US TO PLAY MORE COLLABORATIVELY INSTEAD OF OPERATING IN KIND OF LIKE IN OUR OWN SILOS, UH, THAT WE WOULD GO MUCH FASTER, WE WILL BE MORE PRODUCTIVE, MORE EFFICIENT, AND THE NEED WOULD GET MET.
UH, WE KNOW THESE DISASTERS ARE GOING TO COME.
WE DON'T WANT THEM TO COME, BUT MOTHER NATURE HAS A MIND OF HER OWN, SO THEY'RE GOING TO COME, UH, AND WE KNOW WHEN THE NEED IS THERE.
WE ARE ALL GONNA FIND A WAY TO STEP UP.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'LL TURN TO MY PEOPLE AT THE CITY AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT CAN WE DO? RETURN TO THE COUNTY, JUDGE OF THE COUNTY, SAY, OKAY, WHAT PEOPLE DO YOU HAVE? I'LL PUT PEOPLE TOGETHER.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR OTHER PARTNERS THAT ARE DOING THE SAME THING.
WELL, THAT'S YESTERDAY'S MODEL, AND NOW WE NEED A NEW MODEL AND ONE THAT WORKS MUCH MORE EFFICIENTLY.
AND ONE THAT SAYS TO THE GREATER COMMUNITY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHEN THE INTENT IS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE SAME PEOPLE THAT WE ARE ALL TRYING TO REPRESENT.
ALL OF US NEED TO BE ON THE SAME TEAM, AND WE NEED TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO SAY, I'M CONTRIBUTING HERE KNOWING THAT THE AS MU, AS MANY OF THE PEOPLE WILL NEEDS WILL BE MET.
THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE GREATEST HOUSTON DISASTER ALLIANCE, IS TO SAY TO, UH, OUR COMMUNITIES THAT WE ARE NOT GONNA WAIT FOR A DISASTER TO SET SOMETHING UP.
AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHO TO TURN TO.
THE GREATER HOUSTON DISASTER ALLIANCE IS STEPPING OUT BEFORE A STORM HAPPENS.
AND TO EVERYONE WHO MAY DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE.
UH, QUITE FRANKLY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR A STORM.
YOU CAN PARTICIPATE RIGHT NOW TO THIS FUND.
AND SO IN OUR CITY, IN OUR COUNTY, WE RECOGNIZE WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE PROBLEM OR THE NEED.
WE WILL BE PROACTIVE, PUT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THEN WHEN IT TAKES PLACE, WE ARE READY TO GO INSTANTLY, IMMEDIATELY MORE EFFICIENTLY, AND WE ARE NOT BEING TERRITORIAL.
SO IT DOES REQUIRE, SO QUITE FRANKLY, IT REQUIRES A LITTLE HUMILITY FROM ALL OF US RECOGNIZING THAT BEST PRACTICES AND THE BEST MODEL IS ONE WHERE WE WORK TOGETHER AND NOT IN COMPETITION OR EVEN MAY WAY, MAY APPEAR TO BE IN COMPETITION FOR THE PEOPLE WHO NEED US THE MOST.
IT IS A, IN MANY WAYS YOU CAN SAY IT'S A PARADIGM SHIFT IN TERMS OF HOW WE MEET THE NEEDS OF FOLK WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN A UNFORTUNATE POSITION AND THEY THEMSELVES DID NOT CAUSE IT.
AND HOW OUR REGION CAN SAY TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AND BEYOND THAT, WE WORK TOGETHER, WE ARE ON THE SAME TEAM.
AND THAT WAY I THINK PEOPLE WILL EVEN GIVE MORE BECAUSE
[00:25:01]
THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE EXERCISE OF WHO DO WE GIVE IT TO AND WHO'S DOING WHAT AND WHO ARE YOU HELPING? WE ARE GOING TO ELIMINATE ALL OF THAT.AND QUITE FRANKLY, AFTER DEALING WITH SEVEN FEDERALLY DECLARED DISASTERS IN EIGHT YEARS, IT'S ABOUT TIME.
AND SO CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU ALL.
THANK YOU, UM, AGAIN, MAYOR TURNER AND JUDGE HIDALGO.
UM, THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN WITH YOUR INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT AND, AND UNITED WAY AND GREATER HOUSTON AND GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS HERE TODAY ARE HONORED AND GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT YOUR WORK AND LEADERSHIP IN THIS EFFORT.
UM, WE NOW HAVE THE PLEASURE OF HEARING FROM TWO MEMBERS OF THE LEADERSHIP TEAMS OF ENBRIDGE AND PHILLIPS 66, UM, WHO ARE MAKING THIS WORK POSSIBLE.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND WELCOME THEM TO THE STAGE FOR A FEW REMARKS.
I'M LAURA VERA, UH, AND SENIOR EXECUTIVE VP AT ENBRIDGE FOR SAFETY AND RELIABILITY.
ENBRIDGE, AS A COMPANY IS EXCITED AND PROUD TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE GREATER HOUSTON DISASTER ALLIANCE.
THIS INITIATIVE TRULY REFLECTS OUR CORPORATE VALUES, ONE OF THE KEY ONES, WHICH IS SAFETY.
QUITE SIMPLY, WE VIEW SAFETY AS PARAMOUNT TO EVERYTHING WE DO EACH DAY.
WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO SAFETY, SAFELY AND RELIABLY DELIVER ENERGY NEEDED BY PEOPLE IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES, AND TO ENSURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES RETURN HOME SAFELY AT THE END OF EACH WORKDAY.
CENTRAL TO THAT COMMITMENT IS ENSURING THE SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE WORK AND LIVE, INCLUDING HOUSTON, WHICH IS HOME TO AROUND 1,300 ENBRIDGE EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING MYSELF, A MULTI-DECADE RESIDENT OF THIS CITY.
THIS INCLUDES BOTH ENSURING THE SAFETY OF OUR OPERATIONS AND SUPPORTING PROJECTS THAT ENHANCE COMMUNITY SAFETY.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE BELIEVE IT'S ABOUT MORE THAN THE ENERGY WE DELIVER.
IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE ENERGY WE PUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES TOUCHED BY OUR OPERATIONS THROUGH OUR FUELING FUTURES PROGRAM.
WE WORK TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA THROUGH STRATEGIC DONATIONS AND INVESTMENTS AND SPONSORSHIPS THAT HELP CREATE SAFE, VIBRANT, AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES.
IN 2022 ALONE, WE PARTNERED WITH MORE THAN 3,300 ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA AND INVESTED MORE THAN $16 MILLION IN WORTHY INITIATIVES AIMED AT STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES WITH ITS MANDATE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RECOVERY, THE GREATER HOUSTON DISASTER ALLIANCE ALIGNS DIRECTLY WITH OUR KEY PRIORITY TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SUSTAINABLE, VIBRANT, AND ULTIMATELY SAFER PLACES TO LIVE AND WORK.
THIS PROJECT IS PROACTIVE, IT'S YEAR ROUND, AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
IT WILL BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND SYSTEMS NEEDED TO INCREASE RESILIENCY, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
AND IT'S GONNA PROVIDE OUR CITIZENS WITH THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO DEAL WITH THE IMMEDIATE AND LONGER TERM IMPACTS OF DISASTERS.
THE GREATER HOUSTON DISASTER ALLIANCE SETS HOUSTON UP FOR SUCCESS.
THIS IS AN INITIATIVE WORTHY OF SUPPORT AS SEEN BY THE INVESTMENTS ANNOUNCED TODAY BY ENBRIDGE AND PHILLIPS 66.
IT'S MY SINCERE HOPE THAT THIS VITAL SERVICE ATTRACTS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO FURTHER ENABLE THE HOUSTON REGION TO RESPOND AND RECOVER EFFECTIVELY AT TIMES OF CRISIS.
AND LASTLY, I'M ALSO PROUD TO NOTE THAT OUR INVESTMENT IN THE ALLIANCE IS JUST THE LATEST MILESTONE IN OUR COMPANY'S MORE THAN 30 YEAR RELATIONSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED WAY OF GREATER HOUSTON.
THIS ORGANIZATION PROVIDES CRITICAL SUPPORT TO TACKLE THE CHALLENGES FACING OUR COMMUNITY, WHILE HELPING IMPROVE LIVES AND AFFECT POSITIVE LASTING CHANGE.
AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
THE UNITED WAY OF GREATER HOUSTON IS AGAIN, LEADING THE WAY IN MAKING A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS AN ENDEAVOR THAT ENBRIDGE IS TRULY PROUD TO SUPPORT.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR ENHANCING SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
MAKING OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER AND MORE SECURE IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I'M KAREN ALBRECHT, MANAGER OF GLOBAL COMPLIANCE AND HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AT PHILLIPS 66, AND I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY REPRESENTING THE COMPANY AS WE CELEBRATE THE FOUNDING OF THIS NEW ORGANIZATION BETWEEN THE GREATER
[00:30:01]
HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND THE UNITED WAY OF GREATER HOUSTON AT PHILLIPS 66.IT'S OUR MISSION TO PROVIDE ENERGY AND IMPROVE LIVES, AND SAFETY IS OUR FIRST CORE VALUE.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE INSPIRED BY THE CREATION OF THE DISASTER ALLIANCE AND PROUD TO HELP FUND IT.
IT'S WHERE MORE THAN 3000 PHILLIPS 60, 66 EMPLOYEES LIVE AND WORK.
IT'S WHERE MANY OF US RAISE OUR FAMILIES.
IT THIS CITY, ITS PEOPLE, ITS ECONOMY, ARE POWERFUL, AND PHILLIPS 66 IS PROUD TO BE A PART OF IT.
OUR SOCIAL IMPACT STRATEGY FOCUSES ON CREATING PARTNERSHIPS THAT INSPIRE ACTION TO IMPROVE LIVES AND IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS TO SOCIETY'S CHALLENGES.
LAST YEAR WE DONATED NEARLY $4 MILLION TO CHARITIES AND PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND WELLBEING IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE WORK AND OUR AND OUR EMPLOYEES.
THEY VOLUNTEERED MORE THAN 86,000 HOURS OF THEIR OWN TIME IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
IN THIS EFFORT, WE'RE CELEBRATING TODAY.
OUR COMBINED CONTRIBUTION WITH ENBRIDGE IS A THREE YEAR FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO HELPING MAKE OUR GREAT CITY STRONGER, SAFER, AND MORE RESILIENT.
AT PHILLIPS 66, WE BELIEVE THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL AND FINANCIAL WELLBEING OF OUR NEIGHBORS IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO BUILDING A VIBRANT AND A THRIVING COMMUNITY.
AND AS A COMPANY, WE CHOOSE PHILANTHROPIC AND VOLUNTEER EFFORTS THAT STRENGTHEN THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESILIENCE IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE OUR EMPLOYEES LIVE AND WORK.
IT'S A NATURAL FIT FOR US TO INVEST IN THIS EFFORT AND MAKE HOUSTON MORE SECURE.
AS WE ALL KNOW, LIVING HERE, IT'S NOT A MATTER OF IF, BUT WHEN A DISASTROUS STRIKES WE'VE KNOWN, WE'VE SHOWN OUR STRENGTH AND ABILITY TO PULL TOGETHER THROUGH HURRICANES, WINTER STORMS, AND OF COURSE, THE PANDEMIC.
WE ARE A COMMUNITY AND THE GREATER HOUSTON DISASTER ALLIANCE PROMISES TO TAKE THAT SPIRIT AND MAKE IT STRONGER BY ADDING PREPAREDNESS TO THE EQUATION.
WE CAN'T CONTROL WHEN OR WHERE NATURAL DISASTERS WILL STRIKE, BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS PREPARE.
AND THAT'S A MANTRA WE LIVE BY AT PHILLIPS 66.
WE OPERATE IN AN ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY THAT MUST FIND A WAY TO PRODUCE AND DELIVER ENERGY EVEN DURING NATURAL DISASTERS.
PREPAREDNESS IS CRUCIAL FOR SAFETY AND INSECURITY.
WE NEED TO HAVE A STRONG AND EFFECTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE.
WE NEED TO HAVE AGREEMENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT ENABLE A SWIFT RESPONSE.
TO PROVIDE FUNDING AND BASIC NECESSITIES, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ARE EDUCATED AND ALIGNED ON STRATEGY SO THAT WE CAN ALL BE PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND REACT QUICKLY.
THE DISASTER ALLIANCE IS A TREMENDOUS STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUILDING LOCAL CAP CAPACITY FOR RESILIENCE AND PREPAREDNESS IS PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR VALUES.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND RAPID RESPONSE, THE DISASTER ALLIANCE IS A GOOD FIT FOR US, AND THIS IMPORTANT WORK IS ESSENTIAL FOR MAKING OUR COMMUNITY STRONGER AND MORE RESILIENT.
WE AT PHILLIPS, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THIS EFFORT.
SO I URGE YOU ALL TO COME AND JOIN US IN THIS IMPORTANT WORK AND HELP US MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER AND MORE RESILIENT FOR EVERYONE.
I'M STEVE MASLIN, PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW EXCITED OUR TEAM IS TO BE HERE TODAY AND TO JOIN WITH OUR FRIENDS AT UNITED WAY.
IT'S BEEN A LONG ROAD, UM, AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF HELP ALONG THE WAY IN GETTING TO THIS DAY.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MAYOR TURNER AND COUNTY JUDGE HIDALGO FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND FOR JOINING US TODAY TO LAURA AND THE ENBRIDGE TEAM, KAREN AND THE PHILLIPS 66 TEAM.
I ALSO WANNA REITERATE WHAT AMANDA SHARED PREVIOUSLY.
WE TRULY COULD NOT DO THIS WORK WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF PARTNERS LIKE YOU HERE IN THIS ROOM, NOT JUST IN THE FRONT OF THE ROOM, BUT ACROSS THE ROOM, INCLUDING OUR MEDIA PARTNERS WHO SHED LIGHT ON THE IMPACT OF DISASTERS ON ALL OF US, BUT ALSO PARTICULARLY ON OUR NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITIES THAT FACE THE MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGES IN RECOVERING FROM A DISASTER.
I WANT TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES BEFORE WE TRANSITION TO OUR RECEPTION TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR GRANTEE PARTNERS FOR THEIR HARD WORK, PASSION AND DEDICATION TO HELPING OUR MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONNECTING WITH YOU IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO KEEP YOU UPDATED ON HOW WE WILL MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER WITH THIS NEW
[00:35:01]
ALLIANCE.WE ALL KNOW THAT IN THE AFTERMATH OF A DISASTER, IT TAKES A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE RESTORING AND REBUILDING THEIR LIVES.
THE GREATER HOUSTON DISASTER ALLIANCE WILL ALLOW US TO DRAW ON THE MANY STRENGTHS OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS TO SUPPORT AS MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN VULNERABLE SITUATIONS AS POSSIBLE.
THE DISASTER ALLIANCE WILL STRENGTHEN OUR REGION'S RESILIENCY BY BECOMING DISASTER READY PARTNERS, SO WE CAN RAISE AND DEPLOY FUNDS FASTER, INCREASE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO RESOURCES, AND OF COURSE, CATALYZE ON PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR COLLABORATION.
AS PART OF THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE GREATER HOUSTON DISASTER ALLIANCE, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT THE ALLIANCE'S WEBSITE, DISASTER ALLIANCE.ORG.
DISASTER ALLIANCE.ORG WILL BE THE GO-TO CENTRAL LOCATION FOR DISASTER INFORMATION, RESOURCES, AND UPDATES.
WE MOVE FORWARD FOCUSED ON BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE TO STRENGTHEN YEAR ROUND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS RESPONSE AND RECOVERY EFFORTS THAT WILL ENSURE THAT GREATER HOUSTON HAS THE NETWORKS AND SYSTEMS TO RESPOND QUICKLY, EQUITABLY, AND EFFECTIVELY IN TIMES OF DISASTERS.
THANK YOU TODAY FOR JOINING US FOR THIS EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT.
WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL JOIN US FOR A CELEBRATORY RECEPTION DIRECTLY UPSTAIRS IN THE BOARDROOM.
MEDIA WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INTERVIEWS AND PHOTOS IN THE MAYBE ROOM.
AND IF ANYONE MEDIA AND OTHERS WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A TOUR OF THE 2 1 1 FACILITIES, PLEASE LET US KNOW AND THAT CAN BE ARRANGED AS WELL.