First season of Texas Children’s partnership with Houston Texans in full swing

November 10, 2015

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It’s been almost a year since Texas Children’s announced we were teaming up with the Houston Texans to inspire children to lead healthier, more active lives. Since the kick-off of our partnership, the two organizations have already reached thousands of Houston-area children through camps, school programs, special hospital appearances and other events that combine fun with education.

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

In the past few months, our two teams have hosted the Houston Texans Kids’ Triathlon, one of the nation’s largest triathlons for children; a Texans Jr. Cheer event that included a presentation for parents on the young female athlete given by Drs. Jennifer Dietrich and Megan May; Running of the Bulls: TORO Kids 1K run/walk; youth football camps; the Heads Up football program teaching football safety to kids in the community; and Get Fit with TORO, an elementary school-based nutrition and fitness program. Texas Children’s and the Houston Texans also kicked off several NFL Play 60 contests among schools in the community, all aimed at encouraging children to exercise or actively play for at least 60 minutes every day. On November 29, Texas Children’s will be recognized at the game as the Houston Texans’ Play 60 partner and help award the schools who won the challenge.

“Our relationship with the Texans first and foremost is about outreach to the community. At the same time, it’s also an opportunity to promote the Texas Children’s brand in uniquely compelling ways to new audiences,” said Lisa Yelenick, director of Brand and Service Line Marketing. “Because it’s so externally focused, the partnership includes very few internal benefits like game tickets or other hospitality elements. And with the few benefits we do receive, executive leadership and Human Resources are finding ways to distribute them to team members at all levels throughout the organization.”

The primary benefits include 50 game tickets and one hospitality suite for the November 29 Play 60 game. The suite will be used to host the Mark A. Wallace Catalyst Leader winners and their guests and leaders. And winners of the additional 50 tickets this year were chosen from comment cards that employees submitted throughout the “One Amazing Team” events and tour. Please see below the 25 winners.

The partnership also includes involvement from players, cheerleaders and TORO in the community and hospital events hosted by the Texans and Texas Children’s Hospital. Separate from these official events, players may decide to visit patients in our hospital on their own – like the recent appearance made by J.J. Watt. “In a case like this, the player’s intent is to spend time with the children and families in our care, and we sincerely appreciate all the help provided by Child Life and Security to ensure these visits go smoothly and cause the least disruption possible to patient care activity,” added Yelenick.

The two organizations hope to continue identifying ways to grow the partnership and extend its reach even further within the local and regional communities.

“The partnership allows us to link our brand with the Houston Texans, and that in turn helps us amplify the impact we can have on the community – kids are understandably more excited to learn about health and nutrition when it comes from TORO and their favorite Texans players,” Tabora said. “We are two great teams combining our efforts to impact our community in a powerful, positive way.”

For questions or more information about the Texans partnership, please contact Sarah Bardwell in Marketing and Public Relations at Ext. 4-2732 or at scbardwe@texaschildrens.org.

FAQs about Houston Texans appearances and tickets

Can I request a special appearance from the Houston Texans football players, TORO or the Texans cheerleaders?
Our partnership only covers the limited time spent by players, cheerleaders and TORO at official Texans-Texas Children’s events. Texans players and other representatives may choose to visit our patients on their own time, and we will facilitate each request as we can. All such visits will be coordinated through the Marketing and Public Relations department.

Can I visit the Texans’ players, cheerleaders and mascot when they visit the hospital?
When Texans representatives visit the hospital, their intent is to interact with our patients and their families. The only staff and employees invited to attend these special appearances are those currently providing care for the patients involved or those staff coordinating the events themselves. As well, we usually are asked to enforce strict guidelines regarding photography, videography and social media with those Texas Children’s team members working at the events.

Are ticket discounts available now that we are partnering with the Texans?
Texas Children’s partnership with the Texans does not include ticket discounts. The focus and intent of the partnership is on outreach to children and families here at the hospital and out in the community.

What if I’m not a Texans fan?
Regardless of your sports team loyalties or even what happened during last week’s football game, when players and other representatives from the Houston Texans visit Texas Children’s Hospital, they are here to help create memorable experiences for our patients and their families. Please be courteous as you would with any of the hospital’s partners, and remember that when it comes to our patients and children and families in the community, we’re all on the same team.

Winners of the tickets to the November 29 Play 360 game with the Texans
If you see your name on this list and have yet to be contacted about your tickets, please call Karen Jumonville with Human Resources at Ext. 4-6656.

Leslie Barker, Mother/Baby Unit at the Pavilion for Women Nathalee Jones, Information Services
Katresea Bouldin, The Center for Children and Women Sheila Lopez, Texas Children’s Health Plan
Irene Castro, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Vanessa Marquez, Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus – Cardiology
Stephanie Colburn, Texas Children’s Health Centers – The Woodlands Nancy Ng, Center for Vaccine Awareness and Research
Kelly Dahlen, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Pavilion for Women Abhay Patel, Pharmacy Department
Maria Davis, Room Management Christy Rodriguez, Pharmacy Services
Kimberly Derouselle, Texas Children’s Pediatrics Pearland Amanda Schneider, Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Esbeydi Duarte, Post Anesthesia Care Unit Reshma Suthar, Texas Children’s Gordon Emergency Center
Woodie Fry, Facilities Planning and Development Kristy Stanley, Texas Children’s Pediatrics Cy-Fair
Jewel Greer, Virology Department Maria Valero, Lactation Support
Samelle Hamilton, Facilities Operations Katherine Williams, Business Services
Susan Hardy-Croskey, Maternal Fetal Medicine Thomesa Wilson, Texas Children’s Pediatrics Corinthian Pointe
Daneeka Hamilton, REI-IVF

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