By Super Bowl LI is H-town bound next week, and spoiler alert: that’s a big freaking deal. Houston has been prepping for the big game for months and downtown looks better than ever. I’ve never lived in a city that’s hosted the Super Bowl (while I lived there), so I’m excited to see how things shake out. There are tons of incredible things happening in the city, from free concerts to street festivals (you can read all about that here), but what’s really peaked my attention is some of the other stuff…the stuff that can have a BIG impact. Here are a few opportunities to give back during Super Bowl season in H-town!
Participate in the Red Purse Project
The Super Bowl is the singular largest annual event in the U.S. that attracts the most human trafficking. Join forces with Free the Captives to raise awareness while providing needed items to trafficked women and girls. Donate a red (or in my case, pink) purse with the following items:
- hand sanitizer (travel size)
- tissues
- chapstick
- feminine hygiene products
- hand lotion (travel size)
- deodorant (travel size)
- toothbrush and toothpaste (travel size)
- gum
Drop off the purses by Feb. 1, 2017 at a 2nd Cup in The Heights, 1111 E. 11th Street, Houston, TX, 77009. Free the Captives’ staff will distribute these purses during the week of the Super Bowl.
I’m already dreading the traffic that the big game is bound to bring, so I absolutely adore this creative alternative. BBVA partnered with B-cycle to give free, one hour, bike rides all week long. So you can avoid surging uber fares, skip the traffic, and help reduce carbon emissions (if only for a few hours).
This one is souper easy. Just visit a participating grocery store (H-E-B, Kroger or Randall’s) and purchase a meal for a hungry family in need. Click above to learn more.
This one just popped into my inbox yesterday, and while I’m not available to participate, I think it’s a pretty sweet deal. It’s easy, too! Just request VOLUNTEER on the Uber app to snag a free ride to one of two Habitat for Humanity SuperBUILD worksites. As a volunteer you’ll work with Uber employees, driver partners, and Habitat for Humanity reps. The icing on the cake? Uber will donate $100 to the SuperBUILD project for each ride to one of the worksites.
So, as you start to ramp up your pre-game excitement, take a look and see where there might be an opportunity to give back, too. With so many eyes on our city, let’s do our best to make #teamhouston shine brighter than ever!
Loving life on the run. 