Texans’ Jalen Pitre ‘honored’ to kick off fundraising campaign ‘Feed 5 More’ for local nonprofit Kids’ Meals Inc.

HOUSTON – Texans safety Jalen Pitre cares deeply about the community, especially children in need.

So, the Stafford graduate and newly-elected team captain has partnered with Kids’ Meals Inc, a local nonprofit organization devoted to ending childhood hunger by delivering free, healthy meals for kids five years and younger that are food insecure.

In partnership with Group 1 Automotive, Inc., a Fortune 300 car retailer headquartered in Houston, Pitre kicked off a “Feed 5 More” fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $250,000 through crowd-sourced donations by the end of the season. Group 1 Automotive has made a commitment of matching those funds up to $250,000.

“I never would have guessed I would have been able to help so many kids in the Houston community, it’s a true blessing,” Pitre said. “It starts off with my upbringing. My parents are great cooks. They’re from Louisiana, a lot of Cajun food. I feel like they’re good for the soul. After visiting Kids’ Meals and understanding the food insecurity for kids in Houston, knowing it was a good thing, it was extremely important for me to use the platform I have. I’m a big foodie. I love snacks. I understand how important it is for your physical health, but also your mental health.

“It’s extremely sad the reality of a lot of kids go through and the resources they don’t have. I feel like it’s a great opportunity for us, the more fortunate people, to help out them as much as they can. We do have the means. I think it’s important for myself to push out the message and help people understand there is a huge food insecurity in Houston. This is something we really need to push and help these kids out. They are the future.”

Donating in $5 increments to provide meals for children, Kids’ Meals can provide five extra meals for every $10 raises. Supporters can donate by texting FEED5 to 243-725.

“It’s very simple,” Pitre said of a $10 donation. “But it will help a lot of kids. It was mind-blowing to me. We were throwing the football around. They were tackling me. I was tackling them. To see the joy in their faces, we were bringing a watermelon having different peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to them, it made them so happy. Seeing that made me want to work that much harder.”

In Houston, more than $50,000 preschool aged children are living with food insecurity. Kids’ Meals prepares and delivers 7,000 lunches per day and has provided more than 12.5 million free meals to children in Harris and Montgomery County since its inception.

“It’s extremely important,” Pitre said. “How am I going to help other people accomplish their goals? I’m trying to help those kids as much as possible. Without food, their physical and mental health are being stunted. Growing up, I love food. I understand the importance of it. When I came to Kids’ Meals and saw the way they operate and saw those kids, it was mind-blowing.

“It’s crazy. If you give a donation of $10 you can feed five kids. That’s huge for a kid to have a meal and have a good day. It’s hard for people to go a whole day without eating or a whole afternoon. I’m trying to help these kids reach their full potential, and food is a big part of that.”

Pitre was joined by Group 1 Automotive senior vice president Pete DeLongchamps at the press conference.

“At Kids’ Meals, we believe that no child should go hungry,” said Beth Harp, Kids’ Meals executive director. “We’re thrilled to partner with Jalen and Group 1 Automotiv. Their dedication is aligned with our goal of ensuring every child has access to essential nutrition. This campaign is a game-changer, enabling us to reach more kids than ever before and address food insecurity head-on in Houston.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.