Super Bowl LI distributes $4 million to local nonprofits
While Super Bowl LI has come and gone, the Houston Host Committee, Houston Texans and Greater Houston Community Foundation have a plan to ensure that the Bayou City and its residents are declared the real victors.
Touchdown Houston, an NFL Foundation initiative, awarded 78 local organizations $4 million in grants Thursday.
“That Super Bowl window will be remembered as that season when Houston took their seat at the table,” Jamey Rootes, president of the Texans, told nonprofit representatives at the NRG Stadium West Club. “Hopefully, these dollars allow you to play an even bigger game in Houston.” Ric Campo, Houston Super Bowl Host Committee chairman and CEO of Camden Property Trust, talked about the Super Bowl’s contributions.
“First, it improves the lives of Houstonians,” Campo said. “And second, it promotes the city as a world-class city.”
Greater Houston Community Foundation president Steve Maislin closed the program by sharing how the organizations — which include Dress for Success Houston, Asia Society Texas Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Star of Hope, Co- alition for the Homeless — can extend Houston’s win through 2017.
Attendees each received a football customized with their nonprofit’s logo, an oversize foam finger and a Houston Texans T-shirt — all stamped with a special hashtag.
“We ask that you post weekly using the #GreaterThanTheGame hashtag on social media,” Maislin instructed. “We’ll compile postings to document the campaign and show the world.”
Then the Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram tag-a-thon began with a group photo in the stands. Talk about a touchdown. amber.elliott@chron.com