News

HOUSTON, TX – Neighborhood Centers Inc. began responding to the needs of Katrina evacuees beginning when the George R. Brown Convention Center opened as a shelter for displaced Louisiana residents. In the nine weeks since, Neighborhood Centers Inc. has been providing a host of services to more than 1,200 families, including distributing material resources such as gas cards, grocery cards and merchandise, as well as connecting folks to the Agency’s network of 63 service sites providing early childhood education and community-based services. Now, thanks to a generous donation of $120,000 from Houston’s Unity Church of Christianity, Neighborhood Centers Inc. will be able to further meet the needs of our new neighbors as they settle into communities all across the city.

Beginning Monday, November 7, Neighborhood Centers Inc. will be distributing new furniture to Katrina-displaced Houstonians as part of its Stay Connected initiative, a comprehensive and compassionate program created to meet the material, emotional and social needs of our new neighbors. “One of the greatest needs of the families we’ve been working with has been furniture,” says Angela Blanchard, President and CEO of Neighborhood Centers Inc. “Most of them have gotten jobs and found a place to live and are doing their best to make ends meet, but they just don’t have enough left over for furniture. This donation will allow us to provide new furniture for more than 100 of the families we’ve been in close contact with for two months now.”

Neighborhood Centers Inc. could not accomplish this goal without the significant financial support of Houston’s Unity Church of Christianity. Unity’s congregation – coupled with Unity churches from across the country – was overwhelmingly generous in donating funds for the faith community’s joint food relief effort “Operation Compassion.” In fact, the congregations exceeded their goal for Operation Compassion, and with the excess funds were able to partner with other organizations to further help families. “It’s wonderful to see families getting what they need most to build a new life here in Houston,” says Rev. Howard Caesar, Senior Minister of Unity Church. “We’re delighted to partner with Neighborhood Centers Inc. to make that happen so quickly.”
Initial distribution of the furniture will take place Monday at 1pm at three residences in Southwest Houston. Media wishing to cover this event should contact Marc Levinson at 713-669-5222. You will be able to interview the furniture recipients that afternoon.