giving back is easy

4 safe and simple ways Houstonians can help their neighbors in need

Assembling meal kits is an easy way to help locals in need.

While the Gulf Coast is still ravaged by Hurricane Laura and California is gripped by wildfires, it can be easy to forget that locals are also in need. And for those who do wish to help, the pandemic continues to limit in-person opportunities for Houstonians to volunteer their time and resources.

To that end, United Way of Greater Houston is launching a series of virtual volunteer projects throughout the fall. On September 18 and continuing through the holiday season, the various projects offer a low-cost way to volunteer from the comfort of home.

Participants can join a virtual “day of action” on September 18 and November 13 that involves completing a project on the computer, at home or even the office, according to a press release. Completed projects can then be mailed to a local United Way partner agency or delivered in-person — in observance of COVID-19 safety standards.

Those who participate will be provided supply lists, by project, and instructions for the projects, which encompass the following categories:

Disaster response: Notes of encouragement for essential workers; hurricane preparedness kits; and care cards for seniors or families living in shelters

Basic needs: Assembly of breakfast bags for homebound senior citizens or snack packs for students who rely on school resources for meals; and activity kits to keep seniors engaged and busy while remaining isolated due to COVID-19

Remote learning: Assembly of at-home learning kits to provide students with necessary supplies to succeed while learning at home; donation of books or clean socks and underwear so students can focus on learning

The campaign also offers a “Give Back Bingo,” an interactive way to volunteer from home. The bingo card features projects that keep volunteers engaged with local nonprofits, support the needs of the community, and encourage daily acts of kindness.

Once participants complete five activities in a row between now and November 20, they can submit their card online and be entered to win a gift card.

“Many families and individuals in our community are facing the unknown when it comes to employment, school and staying safe and healthy, and we can come together virtually as a caring city to support them,” said Cory Rooney of United Way of Greater Houston, in a statement. “These volunteer projects are a great way to give back to those in need and get a better understanding of the work United Way does year-round to support our neighbors who are struggling.”

charity

Thanks, Queen Bey

Pop icon Beyoncé donates $100,000 to University of Houston Law School

Photo by Erza Shaw Getty Images

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Pop megastar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has donated $100,000 to the University of Houston Law Center Criminal Justice Clinic through her BeyGOOD Foundation. The gift will allow the clinic to hire fill-time faculty to head it, benefiting the students who study there.

“I am delighted that the BeyGOOD Foundation has made this very generous gift to the UH Law Center,” said Leonard Baynes, dean of the UH Law Center. “Not only will this funding help establish a full-time criminal justice clinic that provides pro bono legal services in our community, but it will also supercharge our already excellent criminal law and justice programming.”

The clinic is one of nine at UHLC. It helps students learn to navigate the criminal justice system, especially on behalf of clients that are underserved by skilled attorneys. People of color are affected disproportionately by a lack of good, ethical representation.

Beyoncé, the most decorated artist in Grammy history and easily the biggest musical star native to Houston, has a long history of advocating for criminal justice reform. She was a staunch supporter of the police reform following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, asking law enforcement to “stop killing us” in a web post. In 2020, she penned an open letter to the Kentucky attorney general asking for justice in the death of Breonna Taylor.

Through her BeyGOOD Foundation, established in 2013, Beyoncé has focused mostly on expanding the prospects of Black-owned business and offering education opportunities to students. Forwarding the cause of legal representation in Texas while also helping out marginalized communities compliments her other philanthropic work.

“At UH Law, we envision a legal profession where ‘everyone has the opportunity to prosper,’ as BeyGOOD envisions, and we will achieve this vision by providing access to strong and effective legal representation in criminal proceedings,” Baynes said. “And together, through this gift, the BeyGOOD Foundation and UHLC will shepherd the next generation of criminal justice attorneys in the city of Houston, the state of Texas and the nation.”