Reside Updates: Winter Storms 2021 : NPR

Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sylvia Garcia assist distribute meals on the Houston Meals Financial institution on Saturday.

Elizabeth Conley/Pool/AFP by way of Getty Photographs

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Elizabeth Conley/Pool/AFP by way of Getty Photographs

Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sylvia Garcia assist distribute meals on the Houston Meals Financial institution on Saturday.

Elizabeth Conley/Pool/AFP by way of Getty Photographs

A fundraising effort spearheaded by New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to assist storm-battered Texans has raised greater than $4 million in just some days.

On Saturday, Ocasio-Cortez was on the bottom in Texas to rejoice the success of the fundraising effort, which can go to native organizations offering Texans meals help, homelessness reduction and elder care. She was joined by Democratic Texas Reps. Sylvia Garcia and Sheila Jackson Lee, all of whom helped fill containers on the Houston Meals Financial institution.

“When catastrophe strikes, this isn’t simply a problem for Texans; this is a matter for our total nation,” Ocasio-Cortez informed reporters. “And our complete nation wants to come back and rally collectively behind the wants of Texans all throughout this state.”

She added: “That is the New York spirit, that is the Texas spirit, and that is the American spirit.”

Winter storms throughout Texas left dozens lifeless, knocked out energy for hundreds of thousands for days and lots of nonetheless should not have protected consuming water.

Garcia stated the fundraising thought was spurred by Ocasio-Cortez, who despatched her a textual content saying she needed to assist. “You already know, we’re from Texas proper?” Garcia informed reporters. “Who does issues with New York? We all the time sort of make enjoyable of New York. However this time we love New York.”

Ocasio-Cortez introduced the fundraising Thursday afternoon on Twitter. Inside two hours, the trouble had pulled in $325,000 in donations. By Friday morning, the entire was as much as $2 million. As of Saturday afternoon, $4 million, in accordance with Ocasio-Cortez.

As Houston Public Media stories, the cash will go towards a number of organizations, together with the Houston Meals Financial institution, Household Eldercare, Feeding Texas, and the Bridge Homeless Restoration Middle. However charity itself, whereas useful, would not change the necessity for insurance policies that forestall energy grids from failing sooner or later, Ocasio-Cortez stated.

“We have to make it possible for we make brief and long-term coverage choices to that this devastation — preventable devastation — by no means occurs once more,” she stated.

Numerous components contributed to the huge energy failures in Texas, which depends by itself electrical energy grid.