NS Rotary hears of East Harris County Empowerment Council

Rotary President Ken Wimberly thanks Traci Dillard for her talk on the EHCEC by presenting her with the traditional Gold Rimmed Cup for speakers.
Rotary President Ken Wimberly thanks Traci Dillard for her talk on the EHCEC by presenting her with the traditional Gold Rimmed Cup for speakers.

CHANNELVIEW – At a recent luncheon meeting of the North Shore Rotary Club, Traci Dillard talked about the activities and goals of her social organization, the East Harris County Empowerment Council.

Founded in 2008 by Terence “Trey” Narcisse, of Barrett Station, the goals and mission of the Coucil are to Improve the Quality of Life. Dillard said that the Council “Connect Communities. Empower People. Transforms Lives.”

The EHCEC serves 6 areas with 5 school districts: Channelview, Crosby, Galena Park, Jacinto City, North Shore and Sheldon. The staff for this work has grown to 17 persons, Dillard said.

Some of the programs of the Council include food fairs, leadership learning, vaccinations, small business grant applications, back to school giveaways, holiday dinners for needy families, and more.

Dillard characterized East Harris County as an underserved area with great needs. There are food deserts, healthcare deserts, high poverty rate, and lower than average life expectancy. She said that the Council works in all of these areas to provide resources and opportunities.

EHCEC has a portfolio of Programs and Services to help with these problems, she said. These include:

— Community impact & Initiatives, connecting the community to opportunities and resources;

— Economic Opportunity, creating business resiliency so residents and the community can thrive;

— Learning & Leadership, developing the next generation of community leaders;

— Recovery & Resilience, supporting East Harris County residents in their needs.

EHCEC is funded by donations, grants, and partnerships. Their goal is “making East Harris County the best place to live, learn, work and play.” They accomplish this by connection people to resources and opportunities.