‘It means so much to him, C.J. had a vision,’ Texans QB C.J. Stroud, foundation, Lily’s Toy Box partner for event

HOUSTON – Inside a warehouse packed and well-organized with bikes and backpacks, a bevy of activity took place late Friday afternoon.

As the C.J. Stroud Foundation partnered with Lily’s Toy Box, the smiles didn’t stop as children from the Greater Houston area received one bike apiece, school supplies, haircuts, Trill Burgers, Target $100 gift cards and protective bike gear, including helmets.

It was all part of the Texans Pro Bowl quarterback’s plan he first envisioned as an eighth-grade student growing up in California.

“C.J. had a vision,” said Kimberly Stroud, Stroud’s mother. “He wanted to help kids who were in a situation he was in. We didn’t have a lot of money for the extras. It means so much for parents trying to make ends meet. The wonderful human being C.J. is, he wanted to help.

“It’s amazing as a parent. It’s even more warming to see the relief on the parents’ faces. It takes a village. I love seeing children happy. They make the world a greater place and they are the future.”

This marked the second time that Stroud’s foundation had teamed up with Lily’s Toy Box, a nonprofit organization started by Lily DuBose and her family when she was eight years old. Now 15 years old, DuBose is proud to work with Stroud and his family again after hosting a Christmas event last year with the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and Texans safety Jalen Pitre. Lily’s Toy Box has also worked with Rockets player Jae’Sean Tate and Astros players Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman.

The organization was founded by Lily DuBose in 2017 during Hurricane Harvey, she and her mother were in a closet as thunder and lightning crashed down in Houston. After hearing on the news that hundreds of children would lose their toys due to flooding and evacuations, Lily decided to give her own toys away.

Lily’s mother posted on Facebook, seeking toy donations from others, and suddenly, Lily’s living room was soon filled with toys donated for Houston’s kids.

Her efforts gained traction online. She was able to collect 5,000 toys to give away to 200 kids initially.

“It’s so much fun to work with the C.J. Stroud Foundation, it’s such a blessing to work with them,” Lily DuBose said while her mother handed out toys. “They’ve helped us numerous ways with starting this event with us. It’s so much fun to see the kids with a smiling face.

“We had to work so hard to get things ready. It’s so much fun. C.J. is a great player. It’s so awesome to work with him. He’s so kind and willing to work with us. It’s a blessing to work with him and see all of these families.”

Lily’s Toy Box keeps growing. From their home at the beginning to this larger space to distribute the toys, it keeps getting bigger and bigger.

“She’s amazing,” Kimberly Stroud said. “She started this when she was eight years old. They’re a wonderful family. This gets them started on their journey to the next year of school. It’s just amazing to see how it’s grown. We’re so happy to put a smile on their faces. It’s so important. We want to make it a little bit easier.”

Stroud has been involved in the community ever since the Texans drafted him second overall out of Ohio State.

Stroud has benefited families with gift cards at H-E-B grocery store. He has pitched in to help clean up after storms in the greater Houston area. He has held multiple youth football camps and been an ambassador for the game overseas on trips to Asia and Morocco.

“It means so much to him” Kimberly Stroud said. “He really wants people to know he’s not just an NFL football player, that he actually does care. So, we’re hoping we’ll have many more events, even greater events and help as many people as we can.”

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