District J Gives Away Over 15K Free Masks
 Our office partnered with several organizations to provide disposable masks to residents in District J, especially those who are most in need. On April 28th, we hosted a mask giveaway at PlazAmericas Mall (formerly Sharpstown Mall), where we gave out over 15,000 masks.
We want to give a sincere thanks to Kenneth Katz, owner of PlazAmericas, Kenneth Li and Alice Lee from the Southwest Management District, the Hua Xia Chinese School, and the Houston Asian Chamber of Commerce. We want to give a special thanks to the Houston Police Department for providing Sgt. Tuan N. Nguyen, Sr. Officer J. Chau, Sr. Officer P. Ho, Officer A. Chan and Officer M. Lopez, who directed traffic and made sure the event was a safe one. We also want to acknowledge the work of the following members of Houston Public Works, who stepped in on short notice to lend a hand: Wendell Allen – Field Supervisor; Dedric Foster – Equipment Worker; Stephon Gladney – Equipment Worker; and Mack Jamison – Equipment Worker
In addition to the event at PlazAmericas, we also participated in mask giveaways with organizations and companies including Sewa, the Joint Chinese Alumni, Hospitality Partners and Sew Pro. |
As the state of Texas begins to open back up, testing for COVID-19 is increasing as well. We have received many inquiries from residents about how and where they can be tested. There are a variety of testing sites around the city, and each site has its own requirements. For more information about how to get started with COVID-19 testing, visit 
The first free COVID-19 testing opportunity in District J took place the weekend of May 2nd at Pilgrim Academy Elementary School. The site was established as a joint effort between Council Member Edward Pollard’s office, the United Memorial Medical Center and the H.I.S.D. in response to a cluster of COVID-19 cases in the surrounding area. Disposable face masks were also provided to participants.
On April 10th, Council Member Pollard visited Landsdale Park in District J to assist with the Curbside Lunch Pickup program and provide free washable face masks to those in need. The city is providing free lunches for those 18 and under, Monday – Friday from 1 pm to 3 p.m. at 50 parks across the city. 
Council Member Pollard has partnered with goPuff to deliver food and essential home items to elderly residents in District J. goPuff is an on-demand convenience store service that delivers essential items such as cleaning supplies, toilet paper, detergent, milk, eggs, bread and other common groceries within 30 minutes. goPuff allows people to follow the Stay Safe, Work Safe order and remain at home while still getting the important items they need. The elderly veterans who received the packages were identified through local homeowner associations, civic clubs and other neighborhood groups.
The Houston Public Library provides free resources for families, including homework help, learning tools, language resources, e-books and more. You can use your free library card or apply for a temporary electronic library card for a limited time, to connect and gain access. For more information, visit
If there’s one thing the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored, it’s the need for financial assistance on the federal level. Your neighborhood cannot receive adequate funds to support services such as hospitals, transportation, schools, roads and other needs if there isn’t an accurate count of our residents. Now more than ever, you are encouraged to complete the census form and include every person who lives at your address. To access the census, visit 
METROLift is delivering free food to families in need courtesy of the city of Houston’s Food Access Program. So far, more than 2,000 families have received groceries delivered via METROLift. The program was made possible by donations to the Houston Food bank as well as volunteers from METROLift, First Transit and Yellow Cab. For more information about the program, call 832-394-0814 or visit the 
On Thursday, April 9, the city of Houston and surrounding areas came together to observe a day of prayer as we continue to battle the coronavirus pandemic. Council Member Edward Pollard spearheaded the effort, which asked Houstonians to collectively pray or observe a moment of silence.
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