Houston, TX February 10, 2010 – Neighborhood Centers Inc. will host its 10th free Hurricane Ike Recovery Fair to individuals and families in the Greater Fifth Ward who were affected by Ike and who still have ongoing needs.

Ike Recovery Fairs have already taken place across southeast Texas, including in Baytown, Clear Lake, La Porte, Pasadena, Houston’s Sunnyside and the Heights. The events include on-site case managers who guide individuals and families through the recovery process. Stay Connected disaster case managers are trained to help families identify their needs, prepare a recovery plan and direct them to services and resources

The free event will take place at:

Finnigan Park in Fifth Ward

4900 Providence Houston, TX  77020

Friday, February, 19th, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, February 20th, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

To date, Neighborhood Centers’ Stay Connected Texas program has served more than 10,000 individuals and families. The program provides a compassionate response to both material and emotional needs of people who have been affected by natural disasters, such as hurricanes.

Neighborhood Centers established the Stay Connected program in 2005 following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The Stay Connected program connects participants with services and resources that will assist them in the long-term recovery process. It’s become a model long-term case management program for helping families whose recovery from a natural disaster is particularly difficult. The program is designed to help each family identify its assets and gain access to appropriate resources through each stage of recovery.

The recovery fairs are funded by a $43.2 million award from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to help thousands of people in Harris County who were affected by Hurricane Ike and still are recovering from the disaster that struck on September 13, 2008. Neighborhood Centers Inc.’s Stay Connected Texas program will help to meet the needs of individuals and families in Harris County still picking up the pieces.

The HHSC grant is part of its Hurricane Ike Texas Rise and Connect project, funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The pilot project was formed to help families rebuild their lives by making plans for their own recovery and working through that process.

Neighborhood Centers Inc.

Neighborhood Centers Inc. brings resources, education and connection to more than 236,000 people throughout the Texas Gulf Coast area each year. Our 59 service locations offer comprehensive community-based programs for people at every stage of life – from infants to seniors. We work with residents of underserved communities to help them discover the strengths and skills necessary to become productive, prosperous and self-sufficient. Founded in 1907 by the grandmother of former U.S. Secretary of States James A. Baker III, Neighborhood Centers Inc. combines passion, commitment and an entrepreneurial philosophy to make the human dream a reality for all who are willing to work for it. Neighborhood Centers Inc. is a United Way agency. For more information, visit www.neighborhood-centers.org.