This month, Mayor Sylvester Turner, the Houston Food Insecurity Board, Whirlpool Corporation and the Houston Food Bank announced the launch of the "100 Pantries in 100 Days" initiative to address food insecurity and food deserts in local Houston communities. Houston's food insecurity rate is 4% higher than the national average.

The "100 Pantries in 100 Days initiative" announcement came shortly before, President Joe Biden's White House Conference on food and nutrition and health. The conference focused on a strong plan to end hunger and diet-related illnesses by 2030.

The "100 Pantries in 100 Days" initiative has a mission to combat food insecurity in Houston by allowing local non-profits, including community centers and faith-based organizations, to establish food pantries in communities. The Houston Food Bank and nonprofits will provide fresh produce, meat, dairy and non-

perishable foods to those in need. Whirlpool will help support the food pantries by donating refurbished residential refrigerators.

City Council Member Edward Pollard, who leads the food insecurity board said "Food is a basic necessity of life, and no one should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from."

"When we created the Food Insecurity Board last year, the goal was to put a spotlight on the issues and root causes of food insecurity in our city. I believe the 100 Pantries in 100 Days program is a powerful step forward that will help many families throughout Houston. We are truly grateful for Whirlpool Corporation's contribution to this important effort," Pollard said.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the initiative is critical especially for his home community of Acres Home.

"Some of us standing here today have found ourselves in similar situations including myself," added Turner. "As mayor I still reside in one of those communities that we would define as underserved and under-resourced, in an area that's a food desert."

Any nonprofit looking to help the "100 Pantries in 100 Days initiative" can apply online through the city's food insecurity board page. The City of Houston is now accepting applications.

Gift will support Houston Business Development, Inc (HBDI), Bethune Empowerment Center, a Mayor’s Office of Complete Communities and Houston Business Development, Inc (HBDI) Collaboration Focused on Economic Development in the Acres Homes Community.

By partnering with Bank of America, the Mayor's Office of Complete Communities is making it easier for low-income families to gain access to financial, health, and educational resources.

The gift funds from Bank of America will support a brand-new 7,600 square foot, community commercial kitchen space at the Houston Business Development, Inc (HBDI), Bethune Empowerment Center in the Acres Homes community to address food insecurity and food deserts.

The Bethune Empowerment Center (BEC) community commercial kitchen will help to improve food security by pulling together resources to produce a

large quantity of food. The kitchen will also allow Acres Homes residents to have greater access fresh, affordable and nutritious food.

The community commercial kitchen will create space for culinary arts programming, community-based cooking programs, healthy cooking, nutrition classes, and social connectedness through learning about cooking, and building relationships around food.

Recent headlines show that Houston is not immune to pedestrian and pedalcyclist fatalities. In 2021, there were 331 total fatalities and 1,620 serious injuries on Houston’s streets, According to the Vision Zero Annual Report. This report contains data and year-over-year trends on crashes that have taken place on Houston streets.

The NHTSA also has an informative video on driving safely around pedestrians and bicyclists.

The FWS website provides timely information collected by the flood gauges and displays it in a user-friendly format. You can also sign up to receive rainfall and water level alerts via text message and email.

Learn more at harriscountyfws.org.

Join us at the Día De Los Muertos festival and parade, a family-friendly celebration of Mexican culture in the historically Latino Magnolia Park community. The event will take place on Saturday Oct. 29, starting with a parade at 11 a.m. at Hidalgo Park, 7000 Avenue Q.

Únase a nosotros en el festival y desfile del Día de los Muertos, una celebración familiar de la cultura mexicana en la comunidad históricamente latina de Magnolia Park. El evento se llevará a cabo el sábado 29 de octubre, comenzando con un desfile a las 11 a.m. en el Parque Hidalgo, 7000 Avenue Q.

A community-based free public school in partnership with Harris County Precinct 2, the Leonel Castillo Early Childhood STEM Academy offers a high quality early childhood education program, full day Pre-K3 & Pre-K4, in Houston's Near Northside.

Registration is open for Pre-K3, Pre-K4, and kindergarten for the 2022-2023 school year. Learn more at ryss.org/castillo

Una escuela pública gratuita basada en la comunidad en asociación con el Precinto 2 del Condado de Harris, la Academia STEM para la Primera Infancia Leonel Castillo ofrece un programa de educación de la primera infancia de alta calidad, Pre-K3 y Pre-K4 de día completo, en el Near Northside de Houston.

La inscripción está abierta para Pre-K3, Pre-K4 y kindergarten para el año escolar 2022-2023. Obtenga más información en ryss.org/castillo

The Near Northside Super Neighborhood Council #51 meetings are held every fourth Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, October 27 at 6 p.m. at Avenue Center, 3517 Irvington Boulevard.

Las reuniones del Súper Consejo Vecinal #51 de Near Northside se llevan a cabo cada cuarto jueves del mes a las 6 p.m. La próxima reunión se llevará el jueves 27 de octubre a las 6 p.m. en Avenue Center, 3517 Irvington Boulevard.

Please join your community in meeting with Second Ward Super Neighborhood #63 at Baker Ripley (4410 Navigation) in room 135 on Monday, October 3 at 6:30 p.m. We will hear from Judith Cruz, Houston ISD Trustee District VIII and many others.

Únase a su comunidad para reunirse con Second Ward Super Neighborhood #63 en Baker Ripley (4410 Navigation) en la sala 135 el lunes 3 de octubre a las 6:30 p.m. Escucharemos a Judith Cruz, Síndico del Distrito VIII de Houston ISD y muchos otros.