Caption: Port employees at Houston Food Bank Project.

Whether preparing sandwiches, cutting up fruit or loading milk containers into coolers, each of Port Houston’s volunteer activities at the Houston Food Bank helped provide more than 11,000 fresh meals to local children through the Keegan Kitchen Program.

More than 65 port employees dedicated part of their workday Aug.14 to helping the Houston Food Bank advance its mission to to lead the fight against hunger.

“Much like the Port of Houston, the Houston Food Bank has a far-reaching, regional impact,” said Port Houston Director of Community Relations and Events Leslie Herbst. Their work provides more than 100 million nutritious meals each year to people in the Houston area and 18 surrounding counties.

The Houston Food Bank opened Keegan Kitchen in 2017 with the purpose of providing up to 20,000 nutritious meals each day to children around Houston. “The Food Bank delivers fun and unique programming for our team each year, and we can always count on their dedicated staff to provide us with memorable and meaningful volunteer experiences,” Herbst said.

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Port volunteers at Oyster Reef Restoration event.

Port Houston is committed to investing in initiatives that advance environmental stewardship efforts in our region. During Port Houston’s recent Oyster Reef Restoration project, more than 40 port volunteers, including employees’ families and friends, participated in a number of activities to create new habitat for thriving oyster communities.

Volunteers bagged more than 7,140 pounds of shells, which were used to create 32 new feet of oyster reef. Individual mesh bags, containing roughly 30 pounds of recycled, dried-out oyster shells were assembled by volunteers, then loaded into larger plastic bins and floated out into Galveston’s Sweetwater Preserve. The bags were then carefully placed in a pyramid-like structure underwater to create the new reef.

Oyster habitats are vital to the health of Galveston Bay, acting as natural water purifiers that effectively filter nutrients, fine sediments and toxins from the water column. Oysters constantly circulate water through their shell, filtering around two gallons of water per hour.

“Port Houston strives to improve local communities, even when those are underwater communities of oysters,” said Port Houston Director of Community Relations and Events Leslie Herbst.

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The Port Houston Police and Security departments volunteered at a housing facility, Jacinto City Healthcare Center in Houston, to bring Christmas cheer to its residents Dec. 18. They provided plush pillows and blankets to the Houstonians while entertaining them with holiday music, food and games.

In 2018, the Port Houston Police and Security departments raised more than $2,900 towards the Silver Santa project through donations and various fundraisers. The project requires several months of planning led by a steering committee of port police and security personnel.

“I worked the memory care unit during the port Christmas delivery, and I could tell that the residents’ spirits were pleased,” said Eutenia Harris, LVN charge nurse at Jacinto City Healthcare Center.

Port Houston Police Chief Mark Smith said the port provided gifts to more than 135 seniors.

 “We also delivered items to the Magnolia Multi-Center, the Chicano Family Center as well as six local residences in the community,” Smith said In addition, Port Houston’s police officers personally purchased and donated 17 bikes to students at Port Houston Elementary Dec. 13 for their exemplary school attendance.

The port’s Police department also participated in several other outreach opportunities this year, including National Night Out and National Coffee with a Cop Day.

“We are always glad to see when specific departments take on special outreach initiatives in the community,” said Leslie Herbst, director of community relations and events for Port Houston. “These efforts, in addition to the number of programs and volunteer projects in which all Port Houston’s team members participate, helps us continue to positively impact our neighboring communities.”

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More than 80 volunteers, comprised of Port Houston team members, their friends and family, helped share in the spirit of Thanksgiving by preparing and delivering meals to local families in need Nov. 22.

The event was held at the Houston International Seafarers’ Center, which was divided into three work stations: the first was an outdoor space where a cooking team seasoned and fried turkeys; the second area was where other food items were organized and separated; and the final area was a craft station where volunteers created Thanksgiving cards and festive signage for each box in which meals would be delivered.

Port Houston worked with Neighbors in Action, a local nonprofit, and nearby Port Houston Elementary School to identify 20 families needing assistance during Thanksgiving.  Each of the families selected received a large package with a turkey, sides, dessert and all the Thanksgiving trimmings. 

Once the meal packages were complete, volunteers delivered everything directly to each of the selected families’ homes. 

“This is a very heartwarming effort Port Houston has undertaken the last two years,” said Leslie Herbst, director of community relations at Port Houston. “Working together to ensure families in need have the opportunity to enjoy a great meal during the holidays is another way Port Houston employees are committed to helping the local community.”

“Every box left for delivery with even more food items than we originally planned, which is a true testament to the generosity of our Port Houston family,” added Herbst.

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Port Houston teamed up with the Hermann Park Conservancy to host more than 670 riders and 100 volunteers at the fifth annual “Park to Port” Bike Ride, which was held Oct. 6.

The 20-mile round trip guides riders from Hermann Park’s Bayou Parkland east along the Brays Bayou Greenway trail to Hidalgo Park near the Port of Houston.

Port Houston has partnered with Hermann Park Conservancy since the event’s inception in 2014, sponsoring the turn-around ‘celebrations’ each year, providing food, drinks and music. Port Houston volunteers welcomed riders and cheered them on as they began the return leg of the ride.

Proceeds from the ride benefit the Hermann Park Conservatory, a nonprofit organization that is responsible for maintaining and improving the park system. The event brings together cyclists of all ages and skill levels for a day of celebrating the bayou trails, connectivity and the community.  

“The ride gives local residents a unique perspective of Houston from the Museum District area to the east end of town and the port,” said Leslie Herbst, community relations and events director for Port Houston. “We are happy to partner with Hermann Park on this event for the fifth year in a row.”

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Port Houston participated at the inaugural Hook Line and Sinker Fishing Tournament, hosted by the La Porte-Bayshore Chamber of Commerce in July.

The port team earned several awards, including the top spot in a major category during the tournament, and donated the prize money back to the chamber's education scholarship fund and the La Porte Police Department.

Tracey Turrentine, a longtime employee and Mechanic 1st class at Bayport Terminal, earned the first place trophy and prize for catching the largest red fish.

The LaPorte-Bayshore Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit organization that leads the promotion of business, economic development and support of the La Porte-Bayshore community. The tournament provided a chance for port employees to participate with the local communities and engage several key stakeholders in the areas near our container terminals.

As a steward and neighbor of Galveston Bay and the Houston Ship Channel, the port had six teams of employees work together during the competition.

“It was a great team-building experience, and port staff had the opportunity to give back to a community organization like the chamber and meet and greet with some of the members,” said Garret Berg, manager of community relations and events at Port Houston. “We look forward to casting our fishing lines at this event next year.”

The event was held at the Houston Yacht Club.

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Oysters are often thought of as small creatures, but rarely do they receive the recognition for the big impact they play in Galveston Bay and our local ecosystems. Port Houston teamed up with the Galveston Bay Foundation for the third annual Oyster Reef Restoration Project near Galveston’s Sweetwater Preserve July 22.

Despite the summer heat, Port Houston employees and their families rolled up their sleeves and worked together to construct 55 feet of new oyster bar and plant over 750 stems of cordgrass to create new marsh habitat.

Environmental projects like these play an important role in improving water quality and help keep the bay healthy and sustainable for the future. Oyster habitats are vital to the health of Galveston Bay, acting as natural water purifiers that effectively filter nutrients, fine sediments and toxins from the water column. In fact, a single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day. 

Oysters are also a valuable indicator species, meaning that their presence in the water can be used to gather information on the overall health of our bay and its waterways.

“We’re proud to be back participating in our third year of this program,” said Garret Berg, assistant community relations manager at Port Houston. “The volunteer turnout was great and our team was able to construct several large sections of new oyster reef. These new portions of the constructed reef can provide habitat for up to 17,600 new oysters.”

In addition to the volunteer project, the Port of Houston Authority has a five-year lease agreement with the Galveston Bay Foundation for its oyster shell recycling program. The property leased to the Foundation is used to store, clean and cure the shells before they are returned to the bay to create new reefs.

“We truly appreciate the partnership we have created with the Galveston Bay Foundation, and enjoy the opportunity to play a role in this important environmental stewardship project,” added Berg.

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Each year, the M/V Sam Houston Boat Tour brings nearly 30,000 visitors to Port Houston for a free, educational trip along the Houston Ship Channel.

These visitors embark and disembark for their tours from the Sam Houston Landing area at the Port Houston Turning Basin.  While the port continues to work on long-term plans for the pavilion area, port employees stepped up to enhance the area, making it more welcoming to the community.

More than 50 port employees volunteered their time participating in outdoor beautification projects.  Some Port Houston team members filled new planters with flowers, while others sanded and painted benches, weeded or trimmed trees.  Additionally, two art projects were completed that will bring more color and character to the space. New signs were also installed during the event and light-pole banners will be added to the area along the water early this summer.

“Everyone who visits the port for a tour on the M/V Sam Houston deserves to have a welcoming and memorable experience. This event allowed our Port Houston employees the opportunity to take part in projects which ensure that kind of experience for all of our guests,” said Leslie Herbst, director of community relations and events for Port Houston.

Port Houston also recently entered into an interlocal agreement with the University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design, to design and construct an open-air shade structure at the Sam Houston Landing.  The Graduate Design/Build Studio students will gain hands-on experience and Sam Houston tour visitors will benefit as well.

For more information about the Sam Houston Boat Tour, please visit: http://porthouston.com/sam-houston-boat-tour/. 

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Caption: Port Houston employees volunteering at Trash Bash event.

Port team members welcomed in the spring season by getting out and volunteering at several events this March.

Employees participated with other community volunteers at the 25th consecutive annual Rivers, Lakes, Bays and Bayous' Trash Bash® event by cleaning up garbage and debris near Armand Bayou Nature Center and surrounding areas March 24. Trash Bash® hosts over a dozen cleanup sites all around the Houston region, making it the largest single-day waterway cleanup in the state of Texas.

Thousands of Houstonians also visited Tidwell Park during Bayou Greenway Day March 24 for free activities, exhibits, food and music as a way to celebrate and experience the beauty of local greenways.  

Port Houston participated in this Houston Parks Board event by educating the community about the importance of keeping our bayous clean, since many of these local waterways eventually connect to the Houston Ship Channel.

Other events in March included the port’s participation in the Pasadena Library Carnival, where team members shared information about the port’s free M/V Sam Houston Boat Tour.

Port staff also took part in the Houston Yacht Club’s annual barbecue cook-off challenge, which provided a unique opportunity for Port Houston to engage club members and local community members in Galveston Bay.

Lastly, several Port Houston team members from helped support More Than the Move’s “Houston vs. Hunger” event, which sought to package 100,000 meals for food banks in the Houston area during a one-day, two-location volunteer event. 

“Port Houston is dedicated to engaging and educating the local community, and to helping improve the quality of life of those in our region,” said Leslie Herbst, director of community relations and events.

“Throughout the year, the port looks for unique and varied opportunities to continue this work, and our volunteer efforts exemplify that commitment.”

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Caption: Port Houston's Community Relations and Events team delivering food drive items. 

The port’s three-week food drive was a success. The donations went directly to supporting the Houston Food Bank and their efforts of feeding over 800,000 people each year.  

Port Houston employees donated nearly 1,000 pounds of food and additional monetary donations, which will ultimately provide over 1,200 nutritious meals.  These contributions will help feed families, seniors and individuals throughout the Southeast Texas region.

The Houston Food Bank is the largest of its kind in the United States, with distribution to over 600 relief charities in 18 counties.  This nonprofit organization provides 83 million nutritious meals to food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers and other agencies throughout the region.

Items donated include pasta, canned goods, water and other nonperishables.

Port Houston also partnered with the Houston Food Bank in 2017 for the backpack buddy project.

Leslie Herbst, Port Houston Director of Community Relations and Events said, “We want to help fill the lives of people in need. The Houston Food Bank has an extensive reach here in our region, and they make these donations accessible to so many communities where hunger is apparent.”

The food drive is the port’s first community-driven program of the year. “Our community engagement has been outstanding, with record participation by Port Houston employees in 2017,” said Executive Director Roger Guenther at a recent public meeting.

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