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I'M ANGELA BLANCHARD AND I'M THE CHIEF RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE OFFICER FOR MAYOR WHITMEYER.
SO I WANNA SAY WELCOME TO THE KIDS ARE HERE.
AND I KNOW IT'S RAINING OUTSIDE, SO MAYBE IT'S NOT SO BAD TO BE INSIDE FOR THIS.
RIGHT? AND TO THE SENIOR PROGRAM, I KNOW THAT THE REAL FUN IS ALL HAD BY YOU.
SO WELCOME TO OUR BEAT THE HEAT, UH, PRESS CONFERENCE.
UH, THE PERSON I GET TO INTRODUCE TODAY IS MY BOSS AND YOUR MAYOR.
HE'S HERE BECAUSE SINCE HE WAS ELECTED EVERY SINGLE DAY, HE HAS PLACED YOUR WELLBEING AT THE CENTER OF HIS CONCERNS AND HIS DAILY EFFORTS.
HE WANTS ALL OF YOU TO BE SAFE AND HEALTHY, AND HE'S HERE TODAY TO, WITH A MESSAGE, TO, TO YOU ABOUT HOW MUCH HE CARES ABOUT YOUR WELLBEING.
THANK EVERYONE THAT'S HERE THIS MORNING.
CERTAINLY OUR SENIORS WHO HAD THEIR YOGA CLASS AND INVITED ME TO PARTICIPATE,
YOU NEED TO ENJOY TODAY'S EVENT TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO AS YOU GO TO SCHOOL.
GET PREPARED TO BE OUR FUTURE LEADERS SOMEDAY.
WE WANT EACH OF YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT A PROGRAM THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS PARTNERING WITH OUR SPONSORS.
CERTAINLY, RELIANT ENERGY IS HELPING MAKE THIS POSSIBLE TODAY, BUT IS MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN CERTAINLY THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL EVENT THAT HAS BROUGHT PEOPLE FROM THEIR HOMES, FROM THEIR CLASSES, FROM SCHOOL TO CELEBRATE A WONDERFUL SUMMER THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
IT WOULD NOT BE THE WONDERFUL SUMMER THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO WITHOUT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH RELIANT ENERGY GONNA FURNISH US AT LEAST 150 AIR CONDITIONERS FOR OUR SENIORS TO TAKE HOME.
THEY'RE GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA JOIN US AT OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS WITH RESOURCES SUCH AS WATER AND OTHER ASSISTANCE THAT BECOME NECESSARY AS WE GO THROUGH THE SUMMER.
CERTAINLY WE KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT WE WON'T HAVE A STORM, BUT STORMS ARE PART OF HOUSTON'S EXPERIENCE.
SO WE'LL PREPARE FOR THE STORMS. BUT EVENTS LIKE THIS DON'T JUST HAPPEN.
I WANT TO THANK THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING.
CERTAINLY THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLIA THAT SAYS DOES SUCH AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
HE COULD, HE COULD BE IN A LOT OF AREAS IN HIS DISTRICT, LARGE DISTRICT, VERY DIVERSE DISTRICT, BUT HE WANTED TO JOIN US THIS MORNING.
SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE ALL OF OUR PARTICIPANTS.
IT DEMONSTRATES THAT HOUSTON CARES.
WE WILL HAVE COOLING CENTERS AT ALL OF OUR MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS THIS SUMMER.
YES, CITY HALL, WHEREVER YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF THE HEAT AND THE CITY CAN PROVIDE A SERVICE, WE WILL PARTNER WITH YOU.
SO TODAY I'M GLAD TO HAVE OUR ARMADILLO MASCOT.
I'M GLAD HE, I'M GLAD, I'M GLAD HE YIELDED TO THE PROGRAM.
BUT LET ME CLOSE BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY TALK ABOUT ANGELA BLANCHARD ENOUGH.
AS I SAID, THINGS LIKE THIS DO NOT JUST HAPPEN WHEN I BECAME MAYOR.
WE ALL KNOW RECOVERY FROM, UH, NATURAL DISASTERS, A RESILIENCY TO BE PREPARED.
WHO COULD BEST BE THE DIRECTOR? WELL, THE GOOD THING ABOUT IT IS, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN A STATE SENATOR FOR MANY YEARS.
BEFORE I BECAME MAYOR, I WAS ASKED BY HOUSTONIANS TO LEAVE THE STATE SENATE AND THE CAPITOL TO COME BACK AND HELP FIX HOUSTON.
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OF REPRESENTING THE EAST SIDE PART OF MY CAREER AS A SENATOR.SO I UNDERSTAND YOUR NEEDS IN THE NEGLECT THAT DENVER HARBOR'S HAD FOR MANY YEARS.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO DENVER HARBOR.
SO WHO COULD I FIND THAT WOULD BE THE BEST PERSON TO PUT ALL THE RECOVERY AND PREPARATION TOGETHER? ANGELA HAD RUN THE BAKKER INSTITUTE AND I KNEW WHO HAD THE EXPERIENCE AND THE PASSION AND COMMITMENT.
SHE HELPED WITH HARVEY RECOVERY, KATRINA RECOVERY.
SHE'S BEEN HAVING MEETINGS AROUND HOUSTON ROUND TABLE WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO GET READY FOR THIS SUMMER.
OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, POLICE AND FIRE.
OUR EMERGENCY SENATOR IS WORKING TODAY MONITORING THIS WEATHER.
SO ANGELA, PUBLICLY LET ME THANK YOU FOR BEING THE BEST THAT WE COULD FIND ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
ANGELA'S RECRUITED AROUND THE UNITED STATES IN THE WORLD TO HELP COMMUNITIES WITH THEIR RECOVERY.
BAKER RIPLEY BECAME THE LARGEST SOCIAL AGENCY IN HOUSTON FOR SENIORS, THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY UNDER ANGELA'S DIRECTION.
SO I KNOW THE COMMUNITY AND BEAT THE HEAT IS IN THE BEST POSSIBLE LEADERSHIP THAT WE COULD FIND.
SHE'S IN DEMAND ACROSS THE WORLD IN THE UNITED STATES.
THE EVERYDAY RANK AND FILE CITY EMPLOYEES REALLY HELPED MAKE THIS A GREAT CITY.
THANK Y'ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO PARTICIPATE.
THANK THE MAYOR CAME INTO OFFICE TALKING ABOUT COLLABORATION AND THE PARTNERS THAT WE CHOOSE TO COLLABORATE WITH.
FIRST WE ENTER, WE COLLABORATE INTERNALLY.
WE HAVE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND AREA AGENCY ON AGING THAT MAKE THESE PROGRAM POSSIBLE PROGRAMS POSSIBLE.
AND PEOPLE LIKE DEBORAH, DEBORAH MOORE, WHO FOR 40 YEARS PLUS HAS LED IN THE, IN THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE BOTH, I'M OLD.
SHE APPARENTLY HAS NOT AGED A BIT, BUT WE GO BACK A LONG WAYS.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE CRITICAL EXTERNAL PARTNERS, GENEROUS CORPORATIONS FOCUSED ON THE WELLBEING OF HOUSTON RESIDENTS.
RELIANT, RECOGNIZES THE THREAT AND CHALLENGES OF HEAT IN THE SUMMER, HOW IT CAN AFFECT YOUNG FOLKS PLAYING OUTSIDE AND HOW IT CAN AFFECT THOSE OF US WHO'VE GOTTEN OLDER AND NEED A LITTLE MORE ATTENTION.
SO THERE'S SOME SPECIFIC THREATS TO HEAT THAT HEAT REPRESENTS IN OUR LIVES AND RELIANCE HAS WORKED WITH THE CITY TO MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE.
AND BILL CLAYTON, WHO'S VICE PRESIDENT OF CUSTOMER CARE, IS HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME THINGS, SOME RESOURCES THAT RELIANT HAS MADE AVAILABLE.
COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US, UH, IN YOUR DISTRICT.
I HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CUSTOMER OF CARE, FOR RELIANT.
UM, I'M CELEBRATING MY 35TH YEAR, UH, WITH NRG AND RELIANT.
AND THE REASON WHY IS 'CAUSE IT IS A COMPANY THAT THAT UNDERSTANDS WHERE SUCCESS COMES FROM.
IT, IT COMES FROM OUR COMMUNITY, IT COMES FROM, UH, OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND I THINK THERE'S A DIRECT CORRELATION IN TERMS OF HOW SUCCESSFUL CUSTOMERS ARE AND AS WELL AS HOW SUCCESSFUL COMPANIES ARE AND THEIR CAPACITY TO GIVE BACK.
I THINK BY SHOWING GRATITUDE, UH, IS HUGE.
AND WHEN YOU BRING BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR TOGETHER, GREAT THINGS CAN HAPPEN.
UH, BECAUSE BY OURSELVES WE CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH.
BUT WHEN WE BRING THESE TWO ENTITIES TOGETHER, WE CAN DO SO MUCH MORE.
WE STARTED BEAT THE HEAT CENTERS, UH, 20 YEARS AGO.
SO THIS IS A KEY MILESTONE FOR US AS WELL.
20 YEARS CELEBRATION IN TERMS OF PROVIDING BEAT THE HEAT CENTERS, UH, TO HOUSTONIANS.
UH, AND IT'S BEEN A FUN JOURNEY.
WE STARTED OFF RELATIVELY SMALL, I THINK ABOUT 12 COOLING CENTERS AND WE'RE NOW UP TO 23 COOLING CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO WHAT THAT DEMONSTRATES IS REALLY US MAKING A STAND FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS HOME BASE FOR RELIANT HOUSTON IS HOME.
I'VE BEEN A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN FOR SOME TIME.
I'M NOT GONNA SAY HOW LONG, UH, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, ASK ME ONE QUESTION AND IT WILL ALWAYS PUT A SMILE ON MY, ON MY FACE.
IT'S WHERE DO YOU COME FROM? AND I PROUDLY SAY HOUSTON, TEXAS.
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UH, ONE LAST THING ON A PERSONAL NOTE.UH, I OWE THE CITY PERSONALLY A LOT.
MY DAD WAS A HOUSTON FIREFIGHTER IN THE SIXTIES, SEVENTIES, EIGHTIES AND ALSO IN THE EARLY NINETIES.
SO YOU HAVE GIVEN ME SO MUCH AND I CLEARLY HAVE TO THANK THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, FOR THAT.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF THESE HEATING CENTERS.
IT'S REALLY, WHEN WE LOOK AT HEAT, IT'S RELATIVELY COOL THIS WEEK, UH, WITH THE CLOUD COVER'S WITH THE RAIN.
BUT I DO THINK THAT LAST WEEK'S WEATHER WAS TRULY A BELL BELLWETHER IN TERMS OF WHAT'S TO COME.
IT CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO SENIORS, IT CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO CHILDREN.
AND SO WE'RE MAKING A STAND FOR THOSE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY TO COME INTO THE COOLING CENTERS TO HAVE SOME FUN ON THE HEELS OF COVID.
I THINK WHAT WAS LOST WAS TRULY CONNECTION.
AND WHAT I SEE WITHIN THIS ROOM IS JUST A POWERFUL CONNECTION.
'CAUSE I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE CONNECTED TO OUR COMMUNITIES, CONNECTED TO OTHERS.
IT'S ALSO HUGELY IMPORTANT DURING THE SUMMERTIME TO KEEP AN EYE ON OUR NEIGHBORS.
UH, WE GOTTA KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND I'M GONNA GO OVER JUST A COUPLE LITTLE ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIPS THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE.
BUT I DO WANT TO COME UP WITH ONE IMPERATIVE THAT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE DOES.
NEVER TURN OFF YOUR AIR CONDITIONING UNIT AND RUN YOUR FANS.
IT CREATES LIKE A CONVECTIVE OVEN AND IT WILL ACCELERATE, UH, DEHYDRATION, WHICH LEADS TO HEAT STROKE AND HEAT EXHAUSTION.
WE NEVER WANT TO PUT OUR CUSTOMERS IN A POSITION WHERE THEY HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN DO I PAY MY ELECTRIC BILL OR DO I NOT RUN MY AIR CONDITIONING UNIT? THE KEY IS, IS LEVERAGING THESE BEAT THE HEAT CENTERS SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THAT CHOICE.
YOU CAN GIVE BOTH YOUR AIR CONDITIONING UNIT AS WELL AS YOUR ENERGY BILL, A LITTLE BIT OF RELIEF.
BUT BEFORE YOU COME TO THE CENTER, JUST A COUPLE OF LITTLE ENERGY EFFICIENCY TEEP THAT I THINK ARE VERY GERMANE.
OUR CUSTOMERS LOVE TIPS AND TRICKS AROUND HOW DO YOU GET THE MOST OUTTA YOUR ENERGY DOLLAR SPENT.
IT'S THE FOUR AND FOUR PRINCIPLES.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE YOUR HOME LONGER THAN FOUR HOURS, RAISE YOUR THERMOSTAT FOUR DEGREES AND YOU'RE GOING TO SAY, SO AS YOU COME TO THE CENTER, HOPEFULLY NO ONE LEFT THEIR, OF COURSE TODAY IT'S NOT AS BAD 'CAUSE IT'S NOT HOT.
BUT HOPEFULLY NO ONE LEFT THEIR THERMOSTAT SET AT A REAL LOW SETTING.
UH, HOPEFULLY WHEN YOU LEAVE, RAISE IT AT LEAST FOUR DEGREES.
THE OTHER THING TOO, THAT'S INTERESTING, FANS, CUSTOMERS SOMETIMES DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT FANS ARE FOR PEOPLE, NOT FOR ROOMS. SO IF YOUR FANS RUNNING RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT GONNA ASK WHO YOU ARE, I'M NOT GONNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
IT'S BEST NOT TO RUN YOUR FANS BECAUSE YOU'RE JUST WASTING ENERGY.
THEY ONLY COST ABOUT 2 CENTS PER HOUR TO OPERATE, BUT IT ADDS UP, UH, OVER TIME.
ONLY RUN YOUR FAN WHEN YOU'RE IN ACTUALLY INSIDE, UM, ACTUALLY INSIDE THE ROOM AND YOU'RE GETTING BENEFIT FROM THAT.
ANOTHER THING TOO IS YOU CAN RAISE YOUR THERMOSTAT A COUPLE OF DEGREES, TURN ON YOUR FAN, AND IT MAKES YOU FEEL COOLER ONLY IF YOU'RE IN THAT ROOM.
SO THAT'S JUST A COUPLE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIPS FROM RELIANT.
A COUPLE OF THINGS TOO IS WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE FOR YOU.
RELIANT IS IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING YOUR BILL, IF YOU NEED HELP ON YOUR BILL, JUST KNOW WE'RE THERE 24 7, YOU CAN CHAT IN THE APP, YOU CAN CHAT ONLINE, OR YOU CAN CALL US AT (866) 222-7100.
THE OTHER THING TOO IS SOCIAL ASSISTANCE.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ANY TYPE OF HELP.
AND BY THE WAY, BAKER RIPLEY IS JUST ONE FANTASTIC ORGANIZATION WHO REALLY POWERS OUR COMMUNITY IN SO MEANINGFUL WAYS.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE CLOSEST, SO SOCIAL SERVICE AGENT NEAR YOU, THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
THE BEST WAY IN TEXAS IS TO CALL 2 1 1.
OR YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO TEXAS TWO ONE.ORG AND YOU CAN FIND WHICH SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY IS IS CLOSEST TO YOU.
AND THEN ONE LAST THING, I'M GONNA LEAVE AND I'M GONNA PASS IT BACK TO ANGELA.
SINCE 2002, WE'VE RELIANT AS WELL AS NRG.
WE PROVIDED OVER $18 MILLION IN FUND FUNDS TO SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, AND WE WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
THE ONLY THING I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH, PLEASE BE SAFE.
PLEASE KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR NEIGHBORS.
AND TOGETHER WE'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS SUMMER.
THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.
YOU'VE BEEN A FAITHFUL, VERY FAITHFUL COMMUNITY PARTNER FOR DECADES.
LOOK, I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME FUN THINGS TO PLANNED TODAY.
I REMEMBER WORKING IN THOSE SENIOR PROGRAMS. YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS UP TO, UM, UP TO FUN AND GOOD TIMES.
UM, WE HAVE ANOTHER PERSON HERE THAT I KNOW THAT YOU ALREADY KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
HE'S PAID PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE
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THREAT OF HEAT AND HE'S MADE IT PART OF HIS MESSAGE AND HIS CONCERN FOR YOU AS WELL.SO I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE HIM AND WE HAVE A MINUTE FOR YOU TO SHARE WHAT THANK YOU.
I WANT TO START BY JUST THANKING RELIANT AND THE MAYOR AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON THIS PARTNERSHIP.
THAT'S A MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENT.
THIS HAS HELPED HOUSTONIANS STAY SAFE DURING OUR EXTREME HEAT.
AND WE KNOW IT GETS HOT HERE IN THE SUMMER, BUT IT'S ALSO A SERIOUS DAY BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE TO USE THE COOLING CENTERS.
IT'S A WAY TO GET A BREAK ON YOUR ENERGY BILL.
AND THESE CENTERS WILL BE WORKING INTO SEPTEMBER, SO THEY'RE GONNA BE HERE FOR OUR HOTTEST MONTHS.
AND WE ALSO WANT TO REITERATE THAT IT'S A SERIOUS ISSUE.
THE HEAT, IT IMPACTS OUR SENIORS, IT IMPACTS OUR YOUTH.
IT IMPACTS FOLKS WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
AND SO YOU'VE GOTTA TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.
AND THESE CENTERS ARE HERE TO HELP.
AND WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE CHECKING ON YOUR NEIGHBORS, CHECKING ON YOUR SENIORS, CHECKING ON THE KIDS THAT ARE AT HOME THROUGH THE SUMMER BECAUSE THIS IS HERE FOR THEM.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS.
UH, BECAUSE WHAT GOOD ARE THESE CENTERS IF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THEM? SO TELL YOUR NEIGHBORS, TELL YOUR FAMILY, TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND CHECK ON 'EM.
AND MAKE SURE YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE CHECKING ON THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY BECAUSE THIS IS HERE TO HELP KEEP ESTONIANS SAFE.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE'RE ALL COMMITTED TO.
IT'S THE MAYOR'S NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS A WHOLE AGENCY ON AGING SET UP TO HELP OUR SENIORS.
RELIANT HAS BEEN AT THE TABLE NOW 20 YEARS WITH THIS PARTNERSHIP.
SO WE'RE ALL COMMITTED TO SAFETY.
AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CITY FACILITIES THAT YOU CAN GO TO FOR COOLING.
DON'T THINK YOU KNOW, YOU'LL BE ALL RIGHT IF YOU STICK IT OUT.
IF YOU'RE IN DISTRICT H, GET YOU CONTACTED TO THE RIGHT PERSON IF YOU'RE NOT.
BUT THESE CENTERS ARE HERE FOR YOU TO KEEP YOU SAFE AND TO MAKE SURE YOU ENJOY YOUR SUMMER.
OKAY FOLKS, SO LOOK, UH, WE'RE WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING HERE.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA STAY AND ANSWER QUESTIONS.
AND ALEXA, WHO IS ON OUR TEAM, IS GONNA SHARE SOME IMPORTANT MESSAGES, UM, THAT WE'VE JUST SHARED.
AND SHE'S GONNA DO SO IN SPANISH FOR THOSE, UH, MEMBERS OF OUR AUDIENCE WHO PREFER TO GET THEIR INFORMATION IN THE LANGUAGE THEY'RE MOST COMFORTABLE WITH.
UM, SO THE, EVERYONE ELSE, IF YOU'VE GOT A, A, A PROJECT OR A PLAN OR A FUN ACTIVITY, PLEASE FEEL FREE.
WE WON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY IF YOU WANT TO GO, BUT WE'RE GONNA STAY HERE FOR QUESTIONS WITH, FOR THE PRESS.
UH, IS THAT OKAY? SO, ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING US WELCOME IN DENVER, HARVARD.