HOUSTON – The surprise was intense. The smiles were infectious. The giving will make a definite impact in the community.
The Texans, in partnership with ConocoPhillips and Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages awarded $469,000 through an Inspire Change grant fund to 13 local nonprofits organizations and educational programs to benefit the Houston community.
The Texans have awarded $2.1 million since 2021 when they launched this initiative. There’s a lengthy selection and vetting process that goes into deciding who gets the grants.
They got the good news from Texans charitable foundation vice president Hannah McNair, who was joined by players Azeez Al-Shaair, Henry To’oTo’o, Xavier Hutchinson and Jackson Woodard along with retired Texans offensive linemen Wade Smith and Steve McKinney, who both help with the selection process.
“This is an incredible event,” McNair said. “We love going through the process of finding these organizations. They do apply, but we get to go through them, learn about everything they’re doing in the community, and these 13 local organizations are doing such great work. It’s really a special opportunity to get to know them and really serve the impact they’re making on the community. And we have a couple of them that are repeats, so they’re continuing to do great work in the community, and we’re excited to have them with us. Besides giving the money away, that is one of the best parts, we always do try to think of something unique to surprise them and how we’re going to surprise them.
“So, they thought they were coming here to just talk to the foundation today, and they got right out on the field, and they showed a video, and a couple of them said to me, ‘We were coming in, and we were trying to think of how are we going to bring up, have they looked at our grant request,’ and then you were up there on the video telling us. It’s always very fun to see the excitement, and then, you know, sometimes we see them later on in the community, and they just tell us what they’re doing and what impact it’s made. It’s always very rewarding that we pick the right ones.”
The Texans are 7-5 overall and in the thick of the AFC playoff race. They have won four games in a row after a 3-5 start. They play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
“I feel really good today,” McNair said. “We’ve won four in a row, three of those division games, which is a really big deal. We’ve got a big one coming up on Sunday, so we’re focused on that one, and the best is yet to come, in my opinion.”
The 2025 Inspire Change Grant recipients represent a wide range of social justice initiatives and include:
$50,000 awarded to Career and Recovery Resources, Inc., whose mission is to help people live a life of self-determination and financial competency through behavioral and physical wellness, education, workforce development, and affordable housing. The funds will be used to support staff salary, materials, equipment, curriculum development and evaluation, and credentials and licensing towards career and recovery resources.
$50,000 awarded to Harmony House, which provides safe, supportive housing and on-site primary health care to individuals experiencing homelessness in Texas. The organization creates a stable, drug- and alcohol-free community where residents can rebuild their lives with dignity, purpose, and the support they need to thrive. The funds will be used to launch a Parolee Sponsorship Seed Fund, addressing one of the most significant barriers to reentry, lack of approved housing.
$50,000 awarded to Harvest for the Hungry, Inc., which is a non-profit organization fighting for those who struggle with food insecurity. The organization is located on 61 acres in Freeport, Texas where they grow farm-to-table fruits, vegetables, honey, eggs, fish, and other healthy foods. The funds will be used to expand the Bridge the Gap School Break Food Program, which ensures that children who rely on free and reduced-price school meals do not go hungry when schools are closed.
$50,000 awarded to Her Well Center, Inc., which provides a sanctuary where survivors of sexual trauma and intimate partner violence can reclaim hope, regain their voice, and resist isolation. The funds will be used to support Samaria House, a safe shelter and crisis response program for survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence in Waller, Fort Bend, and Harris Counties. The remaining funds would cover utilities, essential supplies, and supportive programming such as case management, counseling, and life skills workshops.
$50,000 awarded to HYPE Freedom School, Inc., whose mission is to empower K-12 grade scholars with the knowledge they need to be successful and self-sufficient. The funds will be used to expand its literacy and cultural enrichment program to a sixth site in the Sunnyside/South Park community, an area disproportionately affected by low literacy rates and limited academic access. This expansion will allow HYPE to serve 75 additional scholars from disadvantaged backgrounds who were waitlisted this past summer due to capacity limits.
$50,000 awarded to U.S. Dream Academy Inc., whose mission is to inspire and invest in the lives of children of incarcerated parents and families in communities harmed by systemic inequities. The funds will be used for paid Friday internships, establishing a youth leader council to rebrand the school and elevate student voices, and providing industry certifications for graduating seniors.
$40,000 awarded to Prison Entrepreneurship Program, which unites executives and inmates through entrepreneurial passion and servant leadership to transform lives, restore families, and rebuild communities. The funds will be allocated proportionally within Prison Entrepreneurship Program’s Houston Reentry Services and Transitional Housing programs, ensuring funds directly support staff, services, and resources that empower Houston returning citizens to succeed.
$30,000 awarded to Target Hunger, whose mission is to is to alleviate hunger and its root causes in the Houston neighborhoods they serve. The funds will be used to strengthen Target Hunger’s Immediate Food Aid and Social Service Navigation Programs, an approach that not only addresses urgent hunger needs but also helps families transition toward long-term stability.
$29,000 awarded to Youth Development Center, which offers free after-school academic program for low-income kindergarten through 5th grade students throughout Northeast Houston that improves their fluency in reading and math. The funds will be used to support a C-STEM “”Flow and Glow”” summer enrichment camp. The purpose of this camp is to introduce students to STEM concepts, nurture students’ curiosity, and inspire them to consider future STEM academic and career pathways.
$25,000 awarded to Boys & Girls Club of Brazoria County, which enables all young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. The funds will be used to support and expand the KidCast Program, an innovative initiative that equips youth with skills in technology, media literacy, public speaking, and storytelling while fostering cultural understanding and civic engagement.
$18,000 awarded to Family Scholar House Inc., whose mission is to end the cycle of poverty and transform the community by empowering families and youth to succeed in education and achieve life-long self-sufficiency. The funds will be used to support Family Scholar House’s Pathways to Success Program in Harris County, which equips first-generation college students primarily single parents with resources to persist in education and achieve long-term economic stability.
$15,000 awarded to Stay Tuned for the Arts, which empowers veterans through the arts, offering programs in music, painting, acting, and more to foster healing, connection, and personal growth. The funds will be used to expand their outreach and support programs for veterans, directly addressing poverty alleviation, access to mental health support, and homelessness prevention in the Greater Houston area.
$12,000 awarded to The Arc of Katy, whose mission is to provide opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) that enable each person to be included as a respected and active member of the community throughout their lifetime. The funds will be used to support families in need during the 2026 summer session.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
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