Jack Yates High School's athletic field is getting a makeover, courtesy of the Texans, the NFL foundation and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation.
They are awarding $450,000 to the Third Ward school to renovate and resurface the field.
Plus, the Texans' artificial playing surface from NRG Stadium is being installed to provide an extra in-kind donation valued at $1.25 million.
The project seeks to address the shortage of clean, safe and accessible fields for sports in the Third Ward of Houston.
The check will be presented Friday to representatives of the project planning consortium, including Change Happens, Houston Society for Change, 88 C.H.U.M.P., Jack Yates High School National Alumni Association and Harris County Commissioner Precinct One, Rodney Ellis. The consortium represents community development, education, community engagement, public service and social service organizations anchored in the neighborhood.
The Houston Texans are proud to work with our partners to support the renovation of the Jack Yates High School Athletic Field,” Texans Chairman and CEO Cal McNair said in a statement. “Our hope is that this field enriches a love of sports across the youth in the historic Third Ward, prompting the next generation of student athletes and leaders. We are grateful to be a part of this project and believe it will become an integral pillar of the community for decades to come.”
Yates is the recipient of the $250,000 grant from the NFL, the Texans and LISC to support the installation of the turf field at Yates High School. This NFL Grassroots Program Grant is the 12th awarded in Houston, bringing the total to more than $1.25 million that has been awarded for field improvement projects in communities across the city. The Texans, through the NFL Foundation, will also be providing an additional $200,000 field grant to support the project, bringing the total amount of the donation to $450,000.
To donate to this project through Change Happens, visit https://www.changehappenstx.org/jack-yates-athletic.
Aaron Wilson has covered the NFL for 20 seasons, including the Texans, Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars. He has previously written for The Houston Chronicle and The Baltimore Sun. He’s on Twitter: @AaronWilson_NFL and Instagram: @aaronwilson7128.