‘Season of Giving’: How Rockets gave back to Houston over holidays (2024)

The Houston Rockets, along with select players and sponsor Kroger, hosted a series of “Season of Giving” events in December.

Rockets players who took part in these special holiday events included Boban Marjanović, Aaron Holiday, Jabari Smith Jr., Fred VanVleet, Jae’Sean Tate, Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks.

Read on for details of various program events over the past two weeks, along with photos and videos of the many players taking part. All information and multimedia content is courtesy of the Rockets.

Dec. 12

Marjanović kicked off the team’s Season of Giving initiative by participating in a shopping spree for underserved families at Kroger on Buffalo Speedway. As part of that shopping spree, Marjanović spent the evening posing for photos and helping select families pick out groceries with gift cards provided by Kroger.

Dec. 19

The Rockets and Holiday partnered with Kroger to provide Casa De Esperanza with holiday gifts for its House of Hope foster care program. Kroger gifted a refrigerator and air fryer while donating groceries to fill the fridge and pantry of a “House of Hope” home.

Through the Aaron Holiday Foundation, Aaron and his wife, Ashli, made a donation to the program, which was matched by the NBA. Casa de Esperanza, which opened in 1982, provides safety, hope and a home to children whose families are affected by domestic violence, substance abuse, poverty, homelessness and mental illness.

Elsewhere, Smith provided a special experience for 50 students at Jack Yates High School with holiday gifts and a surprise party featuring food and entertainment. Located in the heart of Houston’s Third Ward community, Jack Yates High School opened in 1926 and was Houston’s second school for African-American children.

Finally, VanVleet and Houston Texans offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil jointly hosted a surprise shopping spree for 50 kids from the Urban Enrichment Institute. VanVleet and Tunsil began the festivities with a Christmas dinner party, courtesy of Trill Burgers.

Following dinner, VanVleet and Tunsil took the students to Target to help them pick out holiday gifts as part of a shopping spree.

The Urban Enrichment Institute is a youth leadership and development program for at-risk males between the 12 and 19 years old. It is designed to empower boys to become responsible men and productive members of their families and communities.

Dec. 21

Tate partnered with Lily’s Toy Box to provide holiday gifts for underserved children. Tate participated in holiday activities with children and presented them with tickets to a future home game.

Lily’s Toy Box is described as a nonprofit foundation that provides new toys to kids going through difficult situations. It was originally founded by 8-year-old Lily DuBose, when she began giving away her own toys to kids affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Later that day, Green hosted a holiday party for families at Ronald McDonald House Houston. While there, Green was joined by Rockets mascot Clutch the Bear and members of the Clutch City Dancers, who helped distribute gifts and serve dinner to the families.

For 40 years, Ronald McDonald House Houston has provided a home away from home for families whose children are seriously ill and being treated at a hospital inside the Texas Medical Center.

That night, Brooks hosted a holiday party for more than 50 foster kids at BEAR Houston. Brooks was hand to greet the kids and provided them with a special dinner courtesy of Buffalo Wild Wings. There was a photo booth, face painting station and various other holiday activities for kids to participate in with Brooks.

BEAR…BE A Resource is a nonprofit organization that aims to improve lives by providing hope and help for at-risk and CPS-involved children and their caretakers in the greater Houston area.

Dec. 22

To close the “Season of Giving,” Brooks invited a Rockets fan facing a serious illness to attend Friday’s home game versus the Mavericks. Brooks provided a VIP experience for the fan and their family, including a pregame meet-and-greet on the court.

Scroll on for further details and highlights from each of these holiday events, along with accompanying photos and videos.