Look Who it Was Random video

Evacuees say the shelter in Corpus Christi is not up to par

285 views · Published 5 September 2017 · 0:46 · Indexed 22 October 2026

Channel: KRIS 6 News · 2017 · News & Politics

Watch on YouTube

Corpus Christi is home to several shelters that are housing displaced residents from Hurricane Harvey but evacuees and residents staying at the shelter at Ben Garza gym are frustrated, saying the shelter is simply not up to par.


The Ben Garza Gym is the only red cross shelter that's partnered up with the city. The city owns the building -- they let The Red Cross manage their shelter while folks are still recovering from the storm but residents say the conditions inside are really not very good. 

The evacuees from Rockport, Aransas Pass, and Port Aransas have made this their new temporary home. Some of them with just their clothes on their back are sleeping in cots and making the best of the situation. 

"This group has been fantastic. We have had some awesome volunteers coming in," said Jim Richard from Aransas Pass. 

The conditions these residents are dealing with are not the best. This shelter is housing almost 150 people at times and for all those people just 4 showers. 
Two for men and two for women. 

"It's unsanitary there are people here with families. There are special needs, there is elderly here," said Rockport evacuee Michelle Bowers. 

They tell us they don't even have hot water. 

"Hasn't been any hot water since we have been here. We are thankful for The Red Cross and all the volunteers that have been coming in this are the worst place that we have been since they moved us," said Bowers. 

Volunteers have been coming here since day one and they tell us they even had to go and buy them some simple necessities because many of these evacuees didn't even have a towel to shower with. 

"150 bath towels and then the wash cloths. There are several people who hadn't bathe anywhere from 3 to 7 days," said Cecilia Rosas a Corpus Christi resident and volunteer. 

And even these volunteers feel like this facility is not a good place for evacuees to be. 

"I feel like I had a disappointment. We went from a really nice facility. To something, I wouldn't want my grandparents to be here. I wouldn't want my sister I wouldn't want my brother, my nieces or nephews," said Rosas. 

In the meantime, many are going to work doing what they can to return back to normal and hopefully, soon they can get out of the shelter and find a place of their own they can call home again.

"These are real people. It could have been me. we are just fortunate enough. We have to give back and do more for them," said Samantha Diaz a resident Corpus Christi. 

UPDATE: We contacted officials they tell us they will have a shower trailer here tomorrow by 11 am. It will have hot water with 6 showers 1 ADA compliant shower. These refugees still don't  have a place to wash their clothes. The only things they really need are clean undergarments and socks. The Goodwill has clothes for them to wear. 

If you would like to make a donation. you can contact a local volunteer at Cecilia Rosas at 972-825-6862.

More from this channel