HopeFest
The Houston Rockets, KPRC-TV Channel 2, HAR, United Way, Houston Area Urban League, Memorial Hermann and other organizations teamed for a three-day event at the Toyota Center. HopeFest was designed to collect and distribute donation items as well as provide basic human services including job skills training, job placement, housing assistance, medical services, counseling and school registration to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama residents who took shelter in Houston. More than 1,000 applications were received from those seeking housing at the event through the "Make a Home" project.


HopeFest provided a variety of services to Hurricane Katrina evacuees.

Hurricane Katrina evacuees fill out forms requesting housing.


KPRC
KPRC channel 2 decided to create an effort to help those who survived Hurricane Katrina find shelter.  They contacted HAR about forming a partnership and the "Make A Home" effort was created.  Their telethon phone bank gathered donated property in addition to other items for Hurricane survivors.  HAR's IT department created the database that houses thousands of donated properties and properties offered for short term lease.

HAR 2006 Board Chair-elect Fred Baca, discussed the program with anchor Dominique Sachse.  Channel 2 also interviewed.



HAR board member Michael Levitan gives KPRC weekend anchor, Lisa Baldwin an update on the Make A Home project during their Saturday morning newscast.

Also on the KPRC telethon, HAR member Sandra Gunn, spoke with morning anchor Sara Allen about her efforts to help Katrina survivors.  Gunn called friend Michael Atlas about his recent condo conversion and asked that he donate shelter.  Atlas donated 150 units. Atlas was interviewed about his generosity by anchor Sara Allen, also.