‘It’s a blessing, it’s heartwarming,’ Texans award $455,000 in Inspire Change grants to 12 local nonprofits

HOUSTON – The Texans awarded $455,000 in Inspire Change grants to a dozen local nonprofits and educational programs in the Houston community to aid programs, seed projects and create partnerships that support social justices and racial equity efforts.

The recipients were given the grants through a partnership between the Texans, ConocoPhillips, Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages and Ashley Furniture during a reception Tuesday at NRG Stadium with principal owner Cal McNair, foundation vice president Hannah McNair, current players Cade Stover, Ka’imi Fairbairn, J.J. Taylor, Dylan Horton and former players Chris Clark, Wade Smith, N.D. Kalu and Cullen Gillaspia.

Since its inception, the fund has raised more than $1.65 million has been provided to organizations across the Houston community. This year, more than 300 unique grant applications were submitted. An advisory committee comprised of partners, community leaders and Texans representatives, including Hannah McNair, Clark and Smith, reviewed all submissions and selected 11 organizations. For the third year in a row, Texans players selected the 12th organization.

“It’s a blessing to be a part of this,” Hannah McNair said. “It’s heartwarming. This is what it’s about. It fills your cup. We’re really excited. They’re inspiring change.”

Here are the grant recipients:

• $50,000 awarded to Collaborative for Children, which is a go-to resource for providing high-quality, future-focused early childhood education services in the Greater Houston area. The funds will be used to expand the Collab-Lab program, an innovative mobile classroom established in 2020 that brings critical, future-focused early childhood education directly to the community at no cost to participants.
• $50,000 awarded to Clothed by Faith, which provides clothing, shoes, new socks and underwear to those in need in the Houston community. The funds will be used for the organization’s Closets for Schools Program, which places closets within schools or organizations allowing school personnel to quickly provide children with the clothing they need in order to help reduce barriers to education.
• $50,000 awarded to Family Houston, whose mission is to create a stronger community for tomorrow by helping individuals and families meet the challenges they face today. The funds will be used to support the expansion of no-cost, school-based counseling for children in Greater Houston. Family Houston employs fully licensed clinicians who provide culturally appropriate, evidenced-based counseling for children at their school.
• $50,000 awarded to the Houston Area Women’s Center, which is a multi-racial, multi-lingual agency that supports survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and sex trafficking. The organization provides immediate access to 24/7 crisis intervention services, ongoing trauma-informed support programs and violence prevention initiatives to survivors, their support networks and communities. The funds will be used to expand programs that offer emergency shelter, transitional housing, client financial assistance for basic needs, counseling and mental health services, and placement in safe, affordable, permanent housing.
• $50,000 awarded to Kids’ Meals Inc., the only program of its kind in the nation that delivers free, healthy meals directly to the homes of hungry children. The funds will be used to expand the organization’s reach and increase the number of meals provided to children across our community.
• $50,000 awarded to NPower Inc., whose mission is to create pathways to economic prosperity by launching digital careers for military-connected individuals, young adults and women from under-resourced communities. The funds will be used to support NPower’s Tech Fundamentals program, a proven IT training model that provides free, half-day tech skills training, professional development, social support and job placement to unemployed and underemployed learners.
• $50,000 awarded to Restoring Justice, which assists people from marginalized communities with holistic legal support, volunteer connections, social services and trauma care. The funds will be used to support the Restoring Justice Holistic Services Program, which helps clients navigate the justice system and access essential resources like mental health care and employment.
• $25,000 awarded to Second Servings Houston, whose mission is to build a healthier community by providing access to nutritious food that would otherwise go to waste. The funds will be used to support the innovative PopUp Grocery Store program, which provides struggling Houstonians with convenient access to fresh, nutritious food at no cost.
• $25,000 awarded to Girls Inc., which builds safe spaces and fosters long-term mentoring relationships for girls to develop their strengths, learn lasting skills and take charge of their futures through direct service. The funds will be used to support Camp STRONG, a one-week summer program designed to empower middle school girls ages 11-14 to develop positive self-esteem, manage stress and embrace healthy habits.
• $20,000 awarded to Literacy Council of Fort Bend County, which helps those who are looking to learn English as a second language, basic literacy skills, basic computer literacy skills, earn a high school equivalency or obtain U.S. citizenship achieve their goals and build confidence to lead a prosperous life. The funds will be used to support the Literacy Council of Fort Bend County’s adult literacy services.
• $20,000 awarded to RaiseUp Families, which helps parents experiencing financial hardship provide a stable home and education for their children. The funds will be used to support the Self-Sufficiency Program at RiseUp Families, which encourages clients to focus on emotional wellness and financial literacy while assisting with essential living expenses, transportation, childcare, and job-related education and training.
• $15,000 to Young Women’s Preparatory Academy, whose mission is to give young women the academic and leadership skills to achieve success in college and in life. The funds will be used to enhance readiness support, including one-on-one advising and financial literacy workshops as well as strengthen mentorship programs.

The Texans surprised Andre’ Walker, Houston ISD executive director of athletics and UIL Activities, with the 2024 Texans Inspire Change Changemaker Award. The award recognizes individuals who are making a difference in their communities through social justice work across each of the NFL’s 32 club markets. For more than 20 years, Walker has dedicated his life to student athletes as a teacher, mentor, coach and assistant principal. He also champions Texans programs, including Friday Night Football, Coach of the Week, Senior Showcase and Girls Flag, helping the team provide even more opportunities to young female athletes.

The NFL introduced the Inspire Change initiative in 2019 to create a positive impact in local communities.

The Texans are 8-5 heading into Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins at NRG Stadium. A Texans win combined by an Indianapolis Colts loss to the Denver Broncos clinches the AFC South division title for the second year in a row.

“It’s exactly where you want to be as an organization, playing meaningful games in December,” McNair said. “We have the Dolphins coming this Sunday, and so that’s what we’re focused on.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.