Holiday Giving Back Efforts Showcased by the Houston Texans

The holiday season in Houston is a time of warmth, community, and giving—and the Houston Texans have long been at the forefront of spreading that spirit through their annual holiday giving back efforts. This year, the franchise expanded its initiatives to reach more families in need across the greater Houston area, focusing on three key areas: food security, children’s wellness, and supporting local veterans. From packing meal kits for families facing hunger to hosting a holiday party for hospitalized kids, the Texans’ players, coaches, and staff have leaned into their role as community leaders, turning the holiday season into an opportunity to make a tangible difference. What sets the Texans’ efforts apart is their hands-on approach—this isn’t just a corporate donation drive; it’s players and coaches rolling up their sleeves, interacting with families, and creating memories that extend far beyond the holidays. Holiday Giving Back Efforts Showcased by the Houston Texans explores the details of these initiatives, the stories of families impacted, and how the team’s commitment to giving back strengthens its bond with the Houston community.

Holiday Giving Back Efforts Showcased by the Houston Texans begins with the team’s flagship holiday initiative: the “Texans Holiday Meal Drive,” which addresses food insecurity—a pressing issue in Houston, where 1 in 7 residents struggle to afford consistent meals. In partnership with the Houston Food Bank (the nation’s largest food bank by distribution volume), the Texans set a goal to donate 50,000 meals to families in need this season. To reach this target, players and coaches hosted a day-long meal-packing event at NRG Stadium, where over 40 members of the team—including quarterback C.J. Stroud, running back Dameon Pierce, and defensive tackle Maliek Collins—spent hours assembling meal kits. Each kit included a frozen turkey, stuffing mix, cranberry sauce, green beans, and a recipe card for homemade cookies, enough to feed a family of six for a week. The event also invited fans to participate: for every $10 donated by a fan, the Texans matched it, doubling the impact. “Food insecurity doesn’t take a holiday off, and neither should we,” Stroud said as he folded a meal kit box. “Growing up, my family struggled to put food on the table during the holidays, so this means a lot to me. Being able to help other families have a special meal—there’s no better feeling.” By the end of the day, the Texans and their fans had exceeded their goal, donating over 62,000 meals to the Houston Food Bank.

A heartwarming highlight of the Texans’ holiday giving back efforts is their annual visit to Texas Children’s Hospital, where players and coaches host a “Holiday Party” for kids who are unable to go home for the holidays. This year’s event, held the week before Christmas, featured a range of activities designed to bring joy to 150 young patients: a visit from Santa Claus (accompanied by the Texans’ mascot, Toro), a craft station where kids made personalized holiday ornaments, a photo booth with players, and a gift-giving session where each child received a toy or game tailored to their interests. Defensive end Jerry Hughes—who has volunteered at the hospital every holiday season since joining the Texans in 2023—spent over two hours sitting with 8-year-old patient Mia, who is being treated for leukemia, helping her decorate a unicorn-shaped ornament. “These kids are so brave, and if I can make their day a little brighter, it’s the least I can do,” Hughes said. “The holidays are about being with family, and for these kids, we get to be their football family for a few hours.” The hospital’s staff noted that the Texans’ visit is one of the most anticipated events of the year, with kids talking about it for weeks in advance. “The players don’t just show up—they engage with the kids, listen to their stories, and make them feel seen,” said Texas Children’s Hospital child life specialist Sarah Lopez. “It’s a reminder that there’s joy even in tough times.”

A critical aspect of Holiday Giving Back Efforts Showcased by the Houston Texans is the team’s focus on supporting local veterans, a demographic that often faces isolation and financial hardship during the holidays—and what it means for the current Houston Texans team. In partnership with the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 8786 in Houston, the Texans launched the “Texans Veterans Holiday Support Program,” which provides care packages to 200 local veterans and hosts a holiday dinner for 50 veterans who have no family nearby. The care packages included warm blankets, gift cards to local grocery stores, handwritten thank-you notes from players, and tickets to a 2025 Texans preseason game. On the night of the dinner, head coach DeMeco Ryans and several players—including center Scott Quessenberry, whose father is a veteran—attended to serve food, share stories, and thank the veterans for their service. “Veterans have given so much to our country, and it’s our turn to give back to them,” Ryans said. “The holidays can be a lonely time for many veterans, and we wanted to show them that Houston appreciates them, and the Texans appreciate them.” For the Houston Texans, supporting veterans is more than a holiday initiative—it’s a year-round commitment, but the holiday season allows the team to amplify that support and bring the community together. The VFW reported that the program received an outpouring of support from fans, who donated additional items for the care packages and volunteered to help with the dinner.

Another important angle of Holiday Giving Back Efforts Showcased by the Houston Texans is the role of the Texans Foundation, the team’s charitable arm, in organizing and funding these initiatives—and how it reflects the Houston Texans’ long-term commitment to the community. The Texans Foundation, which was established in 2002 (the same year the franchise was founded), provides financial support for all of the team’s holiday giving back efforts, as well as year-round programs focused on education, health, and community development. This year, the foundation allocated $250,000 to the holiday initiatives, including funding for the meal kits, hospital party, and veterans program. Beyond financial support, the foundation also coordinates with local nonprofits to ensure the Texans’ efforts address the most pressing needs in the community. For example, after learning from the Houston Food Bank that many families struggle to afford fresh produce during the holidays, the foundation added bags of apples and oranges to each meal kit. “The Texans Foundation’s mission is to make Houston a better place, and the holiday season is a perfect time to live out that mission,” said Texans Foundation executive director Hannah McNair. “We don’t just want to do good—we want to do good that matters, by working with local partners who know the community’s needs best.” For the Houston Texans, the foundation’s work ensures that their holiday giving back efforts aren’t one-time events but part of a sustained commitment to improving the lives of Houstonians.

Wrapping up Holiday Giving Back Efforts Showcased by the Houston Texans is the broader impact of these initiatives on the team’s relationship with the Houston community and what it says about the Texans’ identity as a franchise. For the Texans, giving back during the holidays isn’t just a public relations move—it’s a core value that is instilled in every player, coach, and staff member. Rookie players, in particular, are encouraged to participate in the initiatives as a way to connect with the community and understand the importance of their role off the field. “When I joined the Texans, Coach Ryans told me that being a Texan means more than playing football—it means being part of the Houston community,” said rookie defensive end Dylan Horton, who volunteered at both the meal-packing event and the children’s hospital visit. “These holiday events have shown me why that’s so important. The smiles on the kids’ faces, the thanks from the veterans—those are the moments that make this job special.” For Houston residents, the Texans’ holiday giving back efforts reinforce the idea that the team is more than just a sports franchise—it’s a neighbor that cares. The initiatives have also inspired fans to get involved, with many organizing their own food drives or volunteering at local hospitals after seeing the team’s example. Holiday Giving Back Efforts Showcased by the Houston Texans isn’t just a story about holiday cheer; it’s a story about a team using its platform to lift up its community, one kind act at a time. As the Texans look ahead to the playoffs, their holiday giving back efforts serve as a reminder that success on the field is meaningful—but success off the field, in the lives of the people who support them, is what truly defines a great franchise.