University of Houston basketball players bring education and fun to local elementary schools

As college basketball season continues, CareSource Bayou Health, a joint venture between Legacy Community Health and nonprofit managed care organization CareSource, collaborated with the University of Houston Men’s Basketball team and the Third Ward’s private Christian charter school Yellowstone Schools to host “Third Ward Hoops,” an educational event providing students with resources surrounding healthy lifestyles, positive attitudes, and mental health awareness.

“We were thrilled to be involved in another ‘Third Ward Hoops’ community event,” said Jason Neerman, Vice President of Business Development, CareSource Bayou Health. “Our organization is always looking for ways to create tangible impact and opportunities for local youth, and we enjoyed bringing necessary education and resources to the students of Yellowstone.”

After kicking off the initiative in November with University of Houston Men's Basketball player Ryan Elvin and 5^th-grade students at HISD’s Lockhart Elementary School Tuesday, Nov. 7, “Third Ward Hoops” continued with 6-9^th graders at Yellowstone Schools Tuesday, Dec. 5. During the event, students had the opportunity to:

• Actively participate in basketball drills led by University of Houston Men's Basketball player Kordelius Jefferson.
• Engage in discussions and activities led by Jefferson and Neerman, focused on creating awareness about the critical importance of positive attitudes, respecting teachers and parents, and mental health.
• Received hygiene kits containing fundamental health necessities such as soap, deodorant, tissues, floss, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, and more thanks to Houston Responds, a faith based organization to multiply collective impact on critical needs in their community.

The partnership sought to improve access to strong educational opportunities in underserved communities within Houston’s Third Ward, with plans to host more events in the future. The initiative serves as one of many local efforts through CareSource Bayou Health to drive better quality and health outcomes for Texans.

“I was grateful to be able to go give back to the community today,” said Jefferson. “It felt good to be back in my old roots with the kids knowing I was just in their shoes recently. I had a great time doing drills and getting to play 1v1 with some of them. Hopefully I can get back over one day and have more fun.”

CareSource Bayou Health is a joint venture between CareSource and Legacy Community Health, combining both organization’s mission-driven approaches for a lasting difference in the health of members and communities. Supported by CareSource’s 30+ years of managed health plan experience and Legacy’s 40+ years of serving the community with a mission to drive healthy change, CareSource Bayou Health intends to offer Texas Medicaid managed care recipients comprehensive health coverage, provide access to the best physicians and deliver compassion and care.

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