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VOICE OF ASIA 2 FRIDAY, April 3, 2020 VOICE OF ASIA Email: voiceasia@aol.com Tel: 713-774-5140 www.voiceofasiaonline.com Second Front Page C OMMUNITY

Mayor Turner, Kroger and Mattress Mack encourage Houstonians to assist with food and supply drive for 10,000 seniors Doctors hoping treatment involving healed patients could help Houston dad recover from COVID-19

(Left to right) Joe Kelley, President of Kroger Houston, Mayor Sylvester Turner and Mattress Mack of Gallery Furniture during the announcement.

HOUSTON - Mayor Sylvester Turner joined the Kroger Company and Mattress Mack of Gallery Furniture Friday to announce a partnership to feed over 10,000 seniors in need during the City of Houston’s COVID-19 health crisis response.

They announced the donation drive during a Facebook Live chat that was viewed by thousands of people Friday morning.

“We are living in an unprecedented time that is affecting various areas of our communities in different ways. Many Houstonians are asking – what can we do to help?” said Mayor Turner. “This is one easy way you can support those in need within our local community, whether it’s through donating food and supplies or volunteering your time. We are Houston Strong, and helping is what we do best.”

Customers can donate non-perishable food at any Houston area Kroger store or Gallery Furniture 6006 N. Freeway or Gallery Furniture Grand Parkway every day from 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. Gallery Furniture is also accepting donations of cleaning supplies and toiletries. Customers can donate non-perishable food at any Houston area Kroger store or Gallery Furniture 6006 N. Freeway or Gallery Furniture Grand Parkway every day from 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. Gallery Furniture is also accepting donations of cleaning supplies and toiletries.

“There is an extremely large number of housebound seniors in our community who don’t have access to the food and supplies they need.” Said Joe Kelley, President of Kroger Houston. “While many people can make a weekly trip to the grocery store, this specific group of individuals cannot. We want to make sure that our seniors are taken care of by ensuring they are fed, and their pantries are full. These are people’s parents

and grandparents – and they need our help. That’s why we wanted to get involved in the senior drive alongside Mack and Mayor Turner. Together, we can make a bigger impact in fighting hunger in our communities.”

Hundreds of volunteers at Gallery Furniture I-45 location are working to put together care packages and distribute them to several thousand food-insecure seniors. by Tom Abrahams H OUSTON (KTRK), Tuesday, March 31, 2020 - Rohan Bavadekar is a 42-year-old father of three and is among the more than 2,800 Texans who’ve contracted COVID-19.

He is in St. Luke’s hospital on a ventilator. At home, his wife and three young children are also positive. They are isolated and improving and getting help from the Hindu faith-based charity SEWA. The group is providing the family with food and medicine and supplies while they’re in isolation.

“They are a beautiful family,” said Kavita Tewary, the SEWA Houston chapter Executive Director. “They have been pushed into this very difficult situation. How does a mom cope with the kids at home and also keep up with their sanity? It’s really, really hard for the family right now.”

They are also putting out a community wide call for help. They’re hoping someone who has tested positive, but is now healthy can help Rohan beat the virus.

“We are trying to see if we can get some plasma donors for him and that would match with his blood groups,” said SEWA Volunteer Madan Luthra. Rohan Bavadekar who contracted COVID-19 is in St. Luke’s hospital on a ventilator. Screen grab KTRK-TV

The treatment Luthra hopes might help Rohan is an FDA experimental investigation new drug protocol at Methodist Hospital. For the first time ever, two patients were treated with what’s called convalescent plasma this past weekend.

Dr. Jim Musser is part of the consortium of researchers across the country working on the treatment which introduces the plasma of healed COVID-19 patients into those still fighting it. One person’s antibodies is doing the work for another.

Because it’s a small number of patients, we’re in a watchful waiting period. And I stress that this is very much an experimental investigative protocol that we’re using here,” Dr. Musser told ABC13. “Our donors were proven to be COVID-19 cases. They have recovered. And now they are at least two weeks down the road healthy, feeling fine, asymptomatic. They are free of infection and so forth.”

Rohan’s friends are reaching out on social media looking for potential donors who they will then connect with hospitals. They are hoping for a miracle that not only helps Rohan but all those hospitalized with the illness.

If you want to help, you can call SEWA’s non-medical helpline at 281-909-SEWA.

Harris County extends stay-home order...

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Hidalgo also addressed the county’s jail system during the coronavirus outbreak, which she described as a “ticking time bomb.” She said the jails are working on actively instituting social distancing guidelines.

Nevertheless, at least one inmate has a confirmed case, while two dozen others have symptoms.

As a result, about 1,000 non-violent inmates are being released, but not necessarily “absolved” of their charges. Hidalgo also added inmates with violent criminal pasts are not being released.