On May 20, CenterPoint Energy leaders joined local officials in Freeport, Texas to announce the donation of a backup generator to the Freeport Recreation Center. This donation is part of the company’s Community Generator Donation Program, which aims to aid disaster recovery across 12 counties in the Greater Houston area.
Through this program, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation plans to donate more than 20 backup generators to key locations throughout these counties. Each county is expected to receive at least one generator or similar support.
CenterPoint is working closely with local emergency management offices and city leaders to choose the best locations for the generators. The goal is to make sure the generators benefit the community as much as possible.
The Community Generator Donation Program is a part of CenterPoint’s Greater Houston Recovery Initiative (GHRI). These generators will help important community sites during major weather events or emergencies. The program is funded by a $5 million grant from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation. This foundation is a charitable group funded by shareholders, so there will be no cost to customers or impact on their rates. More details can be found at CenterPointEnergy.com/Foundation.
“We want to strengthen our communities’ ability to handle emergencies,” said June Deadrick, Vice President of Community Relations at CenterPoint. “By donating these backup generators, we help ensure that key places like the Freeport Recreation Center can keep running during storms and power outages. Each generator can power a large building and improve community resilience.”
These generators provide extra power when severe storms cause outages. Facilities with donated generators will be able to continue offering essential services during outages. These include medical care, cooling stations, water and food distribution, and charging for critical devices.
To find the best sites for the generators, CenterPoint worked with county and city officials and equipment manufacturers. Local leaders decided which important facilities should receive the donations.
Freeport Mayor Jerry Cain expressed gratitude, saying, “We thank CenterPoint for including us in this important program. This backup generator will help our city maintain essential functions during a power outage. This partnership is vital to keeping our community strong.”
CenterPoint plans to finish installing all generators by June 1, 2025, ahead of the next hurricane season. The company will also work with other counties and cities in the Houston area to announce more donations soon.
