HOUSTON – Memorial Hermann Healthcare System announced today that it will provide a primary medical services clinic for evacuees of Hurricane Katrina at Toyota Center on Wednesday, Sept. 7 and Thursday, Sept. 8 as part of Houston HopeFest activities. Houston HopeFest, an event being hosted by the Houston Rockets and KPRC Local 2, will feature a three-day format designed to collect and distribute donation items as well as provide basic human services and job-skills training information to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama residents who have taken shelter in Houston.

“The Rockets and KPRC have organized a remarkable event that stands to make a real difference in the lives of many survivors of the storm disaster,” said Dan Wolterman, President of Memorial Hermann Healthcare System. “All of us at Memorial Hermann are excited and proud to be participating in such a community-minded effort. This onsite health clinic will assist in providing basic medical treatment and information to those that need it the most.”

The medical services clinic will include up to 10 exam rooms and a triage area staffed by eight family physicians and appropriate Memorial Hermann support personnel. In addition, Memorial Hermann employees have organized a large-scale donation drive for HopeFest, and will also be staffing a recruitment table at the event. Memorial Hermann has been partnering with the City of Houston and the University of Texas Health Science Center to provide supplies, equipment and volunteers for the on-going medical clinic at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Houston HopeFest will begin on Tuesday, September 6 with an all-day donation drive scheduled from 7:00a.m.-9:00p.m.at Toyota Center The following two days will be devoted to distributing donated items and providing basic human services including job skills training, job placement, housing assistance, medical services, counseling and school registration. In addition to the donation and distribution activities, Rockets players and Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy will participate in a variety of events to assist in fundraising efforts. Players scheduled to participate include: Tracy McGrady, David Wesley, Mike James, Bob Sura, Jon Barry, Luther Head and Derek Anderson.

For more information and ways to donate, please visit www.rockets.com, www.toyotacentertix.com or www.houstoncomets.com.