NORTHEAST HOUSTON – Warm sunny weather brought out hundred of people from the Northeast Houston community, to view the parade and take part in the festivities. The weather was a marked contrast to last year, when heavy rain dampened everyone’s spirit.
The parade consisted of floats, marching units, and several equestrian groups. Units were from local schools, churches, the police, sheriff, and Houston fire department, and local politicians. The terminus of the parade was Shady Lane Park on Parker Road, where free food, and information booths from local service agencies were set up under the roofed pavilion.
After a round of welcoming speeches highlighted by Mayor Turner, who voiced his commitment to the Jensen neighborhood, and Pastor David Smith, head of the NECDC who organized the parade, the main sponsor U.T. Physicians took the stage. Andrew Casas, COO of U.T. Physicians, presented $2000 scholarships to two high achieving students from Sam Houston high school. Receiving the awards were DeAnn Mendoza, and David Gone.
U. T. Physicians has been providing a needed health clinic in the Jensen area for over a year. COO Casas told the Northeast News that his group has made an analysis of underserved areas in the county, overlaid with data on insurance claims, and found that Jensen needed the clinic. Casas also told the News that he was very familiar with the Jensen area because his father, a Houston police officer, had been assigned to Jensen for many years.
The Houston Northeast CDC and Jensen Jubilee Committee hosted the 6th Annual Jensen Jubilee Parade & Festival on Saturday, October 19, 2019. The Parade began at 10:00am at 9001 Jensen Drive to 10220 Shady (Shady Lane Park), where the Community Festival took place immediately following the parade. The parade and festival featured local community groups and organizations, as well as, musical entertainment. This was a community event, supported by the City of Houston, free to the public with the theme “Taking Jensen Back – Rebuild, Renew, and Restore”. Families enjoyed fun, food, entertainment, children’s activities, college scholarship awards, exhibitors, giveaways, speakers & much more.
The purpose of the Jensen Jubilee project is to promote sustainable revitalization through residential, commercial and economic development, historic preservation and the empowerment of our neighborhoods. There has been a lot of great activity lately surrounding the community Revitalization Project in the northeast Jensen Eastex area.
“We’re thrilled about the momentum, redevelopment and revitalization activities that are happening in our area and to be hosting the 2019 Jensen Jubilee Parade & Festival. At last year’s event, we were able to award $6,000 in college scholarships. We are so excited to be able to work alongside all of our partners towards our common goal of a brighter and stronger future for our neighborhoods” says Pastor David Smith, president of the Houston Northeast CDC.
Community Partners included:
New Bethlehem Baptist Church
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee
Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia
Mayor Sylvester Turner
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez
Constable Alan Rosen
Constable Chris Diaz
Houston Police Department
State Rep. Armando Walle
Commissioner Rodney Ellis
Commissioner Adrian Garcia
City Councilmember Karla Cisneros
UT Physicians State Farm – Ellaina Madera
ABC Professional Tax
JGHollins Builders
Chick-Fil-A
Imperial Banquet Hall
Lone Star College East Aldine Center
Houston Health Department