Whataburger and Houston Texans Team Up to Tackle Hunger in Houston
Annual fundraiser helps Houston Food Bank provide hunger relief in time of increased food insecurity
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (Oct. 5, 2020) – For the fifth consecutive year, Whataburger and the Houston Texans are teaming up to raise money for the Houston Food Bank to fight hunger and provide support for local school programs, as more households are struggling with food insecurity during the pandemic.
From Monday, Oct. 5, at 3 p.m. through Monday, Oct. 26, at 3 p.m., customers who donate $1 or more to the Houston Food Bank at any of the 146 Whataburger locations across Houston will receive a thank-you coupon for a free Whataburger with purchase of a medium fry and 32-ounce drink.
“Since the pandemic began, we’ve doubled our distribution to help respond to the increase in need. One in four children in Houston lives in a food insecure household,” said Houston Food Bank President/CEO Brian Greene. “Children without access to proper nutrition face greater health risks and even struggle more in school. With Whataburger and the Houston Texans on our team, this fundraiser can help keep our community’s children nourished and on the path to bright futures.”
To address these challenges and ensure children have the resources they need to be healthy and successful, a portion of the funds raised will go toward helping the Food Bank’s various school programs as part of the Whataburger Feeding Student Success program.
“No child should ever wonder or worry about how they’ll get their next meal, yet we know so many children in our community face food insecurity, especially now because of the pandemic. Fortunately, the Houston Food Bank offers incredible student-focused programs to give children the nutrition they need to be healthy and successful,” said Whataburger Regional Director of Operations Jeff Foster. “When more families than ever are accessing these programs, we’re hopeful this partnership with the Texans and the Houston Food Bank will support our most vulnerable and help families thrive during a critical time.”
The three-week fundraiser will begin with a special kickoff event for volunteers and staff at the Houston Food Bank on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 7:30 a.m. Whataburger will serve a free, hot breakfast to volunteers to show thanks for their service to the community.
“Hunger relief has always been a top priority for the Houston Texans, and now more than ever, we need to come together to help provide for our neighbors,” said Houston Texans Senior Vice President of Marketing and Community Development Jennifer Davenport. “The Houston Food Bank does amazing work for our community, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution alongside Whataburger and our fans at a time when the community needs it most.”
Since the launch of the fundraiser in 2015, the Houston community has raised an impressive $563,581, which totals approximately 1.7 million meals that the Houston Food Bank has provided, with each dollar yielding about three meals for Houstonians in need.
For more information and future announcements about the fundraiser, visit Whataburger’s digital newsroom.
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 $35 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 game day. 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.
About Houston Food Bank
Houston Food Bank’s mission is to provide food for better lives. In the last fiscal year, which includes COVID-19 response, we provided access to 159 million nutritious meals in 18 counties in southeast Texas through our 1,500 community partners of food pantries, soup kitchens, social service providers and schools. Filling gaps on plates, we have a strong focus on healthy foods and fresh produce. In collaboration with our community, we advocate for policy change and racial equity, and promote dialogue on ways to increase access to food and to improve the lives of those in our communities, including services and connections to programs that address the root causes of hunger and are aimed at helping families achieve long-term stability: nutrition education, job training, health management, and help with securing state-funded assistance. We are a resource for individuals and families in times of hardship. Houston Food Bank works alongside our partner food banks in Montgomery County, Galveston Country and Brazos Valley. Houston Food Bank is a certified member of Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network, with a four-star rating from Charity Navigator
Whataburger has focused on its fresh, made-to-order burgers and friendly customer service since 1950 when Harmon Dobson opened the first Whataburger as a small roadside burger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas. Today, the company is headquartered in San Antonio with more than 900 locations across its 14-state footprint and sales of more than $3 billion annually. Whataburger is a 2022 Top Workplaces winner. The brand has more than 50,000 Family Members (employees) and more than 60 million customers who like to customize their Whataburgers just like they like it. Visit whataburger.com for more information. To apply for Whataburger jobs, visit whataburger.com/careers.