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Texas Children’s and Houston Texans team up for kids’ health

August 2016 marked the first full year of Texas Children’s seven-year partnership with the Houston Texans NFL franchise. The partnership focuses on inspiring children to lead healthier, more active lives and includes a range of community activities: player, ambassador and cheerleader appearances at Texas Children’s hospitals; and a partnership with the Texans to create Houston’s own NFL PLAY 60 initiative, which takes aim at childhood obesity by encouraging children to engage in at least 60 minutes of active play each day.

“The goal of our partnership with the Texans is to help children in our community grow stronger and healthier,” said Amber Tabora, Texas Children’s senior vice president of Marketing and Public Relations, and Development. “We’re working together to provide fun, meaningful experiences that emphasize the importance of nutrition, physical activity and other healthy choices.”

Highlights of the partnership have included Texas Children’s co-sponsorship of the Houston Texans Kids’ Triathlon, the largest USATriathlon sanctioned kids triathlon in the world; the Toro’s Kids 1K run/walk; and the Get Fit with Toro nutrition and fitness program for elementary school students. Texas Children’s is also teaching football safety to young players in the community and is sponsoring the Houston Texans Jr. Cheer Program, which gives children ages 7-11 the chance to practice and perform with the Houston Texans Cheerleaders during the August pre-season.

Building on the PLAY 60 initiative, Texas Children’s and the Houston Texans co-sponsor the PLAY 60 Challenge, a six-week program at Houston-area middle schools aimed at getting children excited about developing a healthy lifestyle. It is backed by the PLAY 60 Grant, awarding $50,000 to help schools acquire equipment for physical education, sports or active after-school programs.

Patient-focused events at Texas Children’s Hospital locations are an important part of the sponsorship as well. Houston Texans players, player ambassadors, cheerleaders and Toro - the Houston Texans blue bull mascot - are regular visitors at the hospital, participating in special events and giving Texas Children’s patients and families the opportunity to meet and engage with real-life heroes.

In the words of an 11-year-old patient who attended a September 2016 Houston Texans event at the hospital, “This is amazing!”

Employee experience

While these experiences for patients and children across the Greater Houston area are the main focus of the sponsorship — and a labor of love for those involved - the sponsorship includes benefits and activities for Texas Children’s employees as well.

For instance, the hospital’s 2016 “Go for the Gold” well-being challenge was an Olympics-themed effort to promote employee physical activity. Participants had the chance to enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the Houston Texans game against the Tennessee Titans.

Some 250 Texas Children’s employees also had the opportunity to attend an exclusive photo and autograph session with Texans Charles James II and Devon Still at NRG Stadium. The employees, chosen in a random drawing from those who submitted their personal definition of leadership, learned about the Texas Children’s/Texans partnership as they enjoyed the chance to take pictures and collect autographs from the players.

“I’m so glad I work at Texas Children’s Hospital and that we are partners with the Texans,” said an employee who attended the photo and autograph session. “It’s awesome!”

For more information about Texas Children’s partnership with the Houston Texans, click here.