News

NFL Grassroots Award Supports Gulfton Neighborhood Field

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

3/12/18

NFL/LISC GRASSROOTS PROGRAM AND HOUSTON TEXANS GRANT $100,000 FOR GULFTON NEIGHBORHOOD FIELD

Award is Part of More than $3 Million in New Grants to Athletic Fields Nationwide

YES Prep Public Schools will help resurface the Gulfton Neighborhood Field in Houston, Texas thanks in part to a $100,000 grant from the Houston Texans through the National Football League Foundation Grassroots Program.

The grant from the Texans, the NFL Foundation, and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is part of more than $3 million in field refurbishment awards allocated this year. This NFL Grassroots Program Grant is the 11th awarded in Houston, totaling more than $1.1 million.

The NFL Foundation/LISC Grassroots Program, a partnership between the NFL Foundation and LISC, the nation’s leading community development support organization, has committed nearly $46 million to the program since 1998, supporting 336 projects nationwide. Fields are newly built or significantly renovated with improvements including irrigation systems, lights, bleachers, scoreboards, goal posts and turf. Grassroots grants are issued once established funding thresholds are reached for each project.

“We are proud to partner with the NFL and LISC to support YES Prep and the broader community by refurbishing the Gulfton Neighborhood Field,” said Houston Texans President Jamey Rootes. “Our aim is to be Champions for Youth and through this investment we are providing growth and development opportunities for the next generation of leaders for our community.”

LISC identifies local, nonprofit, community-based agencies that have an interest in building or refurbishing football fields in schools and neighborhood parks. Through the program, local agencies are provided with the necessary financing and technical assistance to improve the quality and safety of fields in their communities. The agencies oversee the construction, maintenance and programming of the fields.

“Our mission at LISC is to help build healthy and resilient communities of opportunity and choice-good places to live, do business, work and raise families,” said Amanda Timm, Executive Director of Houston LISC. “Developing quality recreational facilities and experiences is a key part of that journey, and the NFL and Houston Texans have been committed partners in making that happen. Now more than ever, we believe investments like this will help communities recover and thrive.”

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About the NFL Foundation

The National Football League Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those touched by the game of football – from players at all levels to communities across the country. The NFL Foundation represents the 32 NFL clubs and supports the health, safety and wellness of athletes, youth football, and the communities that support our game. For more information on The NFL Foundation, visit: NFLFoundation.org

About LISC

With residents and partners, LISC forges resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America- great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families.  Since 1980, LISC has invested $20 billion to build or rehab 376,000 affordable homes and apartments and develop 63,000 square feet of retail, community and educational space- including athletic facilities and other recreational space.  For more information, visit www.lisc.org.

About the Houston Texans Foundation

The Houston Texans Foundation was founded in 2002 with a mission of being Champions for Youth. The Foundation believes that youth are the champions of our future, and therefore it is dedicated to enhancing their quality of life. Since 2002, more than $30 million has been raised through our annual fundraising events, disaster response programs, our annual United Way campaign and our partnership with non-profit organizations on Texans gameday. Through fundraising efforts, the Foundation supports and administers programs in education, character development and health and fitness to empower the next generation of Texans. The Foundation has aligned with three strategic community partners; the Houston Texans YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston and the Houston Food Bank, and the majority of their support goes to these three organizations through monetary donations, programming and volunteerism.  The Houston Texans Foundation is committed to inspiring positive change within the Houston community.

Media Contacts:

Allie LeClair (Texans)

Allie.leclair@houstontexans.com

Iris Gonzalez (LISC)      

IGonzalez@lisc.org