NRG Center Provides Shelter For Hundreds Of Evacuees

Houston officials have announced they are consolidating the many smaller shelters around the city into the two major ones — the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston and NRG Center in southwest Houston.

We’ve heard plenty about the crowds of evacuees and volunteers and the surge of donations at the convention center. However, the shelter at NRG Center has come online more recently, going from the planning stages on Tuesday (Aug. 29, 2017) to housing some 900 evacuees by Thursday (Aug. 31, 2017). Another 700 evacuees are expected to arrive at NRG by the day’s end, according to representatives from BakerRipley, the nonprofit organization spearheading the effort.

Houston Matters producer Michael Hagerty broadcasts live from NRG Center where he reports this whole operation came together almost overnight. The building many Houstonians know as the exhibitor/vendor area during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo each spring has been transformed into a place for people to live, eat, sleep, and pick up supplies. There's a kids area where little ones are throwing a football around. There's a medical clinic, and even an area for pets.

We learn more about the operation from Fred Goodall. Some our listeners know him from our segment The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, but in his day job he serves as the marketing director for BakerRipley.