With at least 8,000 Spring Branch residents without power, local officials invite Spring Branch residents to cool down in buses and pick up water, food, and ice.
By Indira Zaldivar & Edward Saenz
The Spring Branch community in Precinct 4 is struggling to recover from Thursday’s derecho event as they are without power since Thursday as of Monday morning.
As a result, Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones in partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Houston and the Houston Food Bank opened a water, ice and food distribution center on Monday at the Spring Branch Boys and Girls Club located at 8575 Pitner Rd, Houston, TX 77080.
“There are 8,000 people without power just in this immediate area,” Briones said during the press conference. “There’s 900 children under the age of 5 in this immediate area without power right here in the Pitner Road area.”
Local officials reported at least 50 apartment units left “completely unlivable” in the east Spring Branch area.
The Houston Food Bank will provide ice, water, fruit, and snacks to impacted residents “no questions asked,” assured Briones.
The center will be open for distribution Monday, May 20 – Wednesday, May 22, and will operate from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Houston Mayor John Whitmire said that METRO buses will park onsite to serve as cooling buses. Mobile clinics are also onsite.
“You don’t need to suffer in the heat; we have cooling centers around the county distribution sites for food and water and ice,” Briones told Que Onda Magazine following the press conference.
“We’re here for you, we will keep working until every single person has power and until all the debris is picked up.”
The Spring Branch, Lazybrook, and Timbergrove communities were particularly hard hit by Thursday’s devastating storm. As of Monday morning, Spring Branch residents have struggled without power since Thursday.
“All of our food has gone bad,” said Spring Branch resident Judy Diaz who has been without power since Thursday.
The Diaz household has one generator cooling down one room which is incurring them to “run out of money.”
“We just came over to get some ice and water. You run out of money in situations like this having to buy gas for generators twice or three times a day. It’s hard but we’ve been through something like this before but we’re trying to get through it.”
Despite having to deal with their own storm debris such as their fallen fence and branches, Diaz and her husband said they are helping their neighbors.
“Neighbors helping neighbors, that’s the way it’s got to be.”
The commissioner also gave instructions for residents facing struggles:
- Call 3-1-1 for all non-emergency needs or Harris County Precinct 4: 832-927-4444
- Remain vigilant when you’re driving as many traffic lights are still out.
- “The debris if you can help us get on to the curb please clear the roads, we will come for the debris,” Briones said.
- For trauma and mental health support call the Harris Center for Mental Health line: 713-970-7000.
“Please if there’s anything you can do to supplement what the city and the county and METRO are doing,” Briones said, “ we welcome you.”
For more cooling centers around the city and county, please view our previous article:
