Lucio Vazquez/Houston Public Media
Volunteers distribute water and food at Acres Homes Multi-Service Center on July 10, 2024. The City of Houston partnered with the Houston Food Bank and HEB.
Several distribution sites and cooling centers were opened throughout the Houston area for people needing food or shelter from the heat.
On Wednesday afternoon, Guadalupe Aladin stood in line at the Bayland Community Center, which doubles as a distribution and cooling center for people trying to escape the heat. As she waited for food and water, Aladin said she knew a hurricane was heading toward Houston but didn’t expect the power to be out for so many days.
“That’s the situation we’re in right now. It’s a tough situation,” she said in Spanish.
Related: Houston power outages: CenterPoint releases outage map; 1.3 million still without power after Beryl
Brenda Hernandez, one of the residents waiting in line at the community center, said she didn’t expect the hurricane to come so close to her home, adding that some of the food she bought over the weekend had already spoiled because of the power outage.
“For me, it’s hard because I have two children,” she said in Spanish. “It’s really hard to buy food and waste it. I don’t have anywhere to turn on the lights, or at least a fan. There’s nothing.”
Hernandez plans to stay in a cooling center inside the building. Amalia Alvarez and her two dogs, Ruby and Argos, spent several hours inside the community center while waiting for the power to be restored.
“It’s nice in here,” she said, looking at the two dogs lying comfortably on the cool floor.
Lucio Vazquez/Houston Public Media
Amalia Alvarez sits with her two dogs, Ruby (left) and Argos, on July 10, 2024, at the distribution/cooling center at Bayland Community Center.
RELATED: When will electricity be restored after Hurricane Beryl?
Other centers have opened around the city, including Lakewood Church, Crosby Community Center and Acres Homes Multi-Service Center.
Throughout Wednesday afternoon, tons of water and food were distributed to hundreds of people outside the Acres Homes Multi-Service Center. Like Bayland, the community center doubled as a cooling center. Ernestine Sykes enjoyed the cool air inside while charging her cell phone. This was her second day at the community center.
“This is just annoying to me. It’s really frustrating,” Sykes said. “This is a big city. I don’t understand why CenterPoint can’t keep the lights on in our city.”
The distribution center is scheduled to open again at 10 a.m. Thursday while supplies last. For a detailed list of cooling centers and shelters throughout the Houston area, click here.
