Record-Breaking Crowd Walking and Rolling for Disability and Veteran/Military-Connected Services

HOUSTON, May 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Excitement filled the air as Easter Seals Greater Houston clients, family members, supporters, community partners, service dogs, and staff entered the Houston Zoo for Walk With Me. After a week of turbulent weather, everyone, including the animals, was excited to get out and stretch their legs (wings, tails, and flippers). A record-breaking 4,000 attendees gathered to walk, roll, and stroll in support of the nonprofit's life-changing disability and veteran/military-connected services. For the 9th year in a row, Prosperity Bank presented the 5K family fun walk through the zoo. Prosperity Bank's team has taken the mission to heart, with top leadership co-chairing the events, branches competing to raise funds, and raising over $1,000,000 since 2015. Other key sponsors include Quanta Services, Team Industrial Services, Texas Children's Hospital, and Alvarez & Marsal.

The 2023 event chairs, Elizabeth & Anthony DeLuca of the Easter Seals' Board and SCF Partners, Katie Dowdell and Cullen Zalman of Prosperity Bank, and Matt Mikeska of Quanta Services, kicked off the festivities by highlighting the programs the donations and fundraising efforts were supporting. To date, Walk With Me 2023 has raised $753,693 that will go towards helping preemies learn to crawl, connecting a nonverbal child with technology to communicate, training a veteran's service dog, sending a teen to an accessible camp, and so much more. Next, the chairs introduced the Walk With Me Ambassadors, children thriving thanks to the agency's high quality, low or no cost, wrap-around programs. Over 14,500+ lives are improved by Easter Seals Greater Houston's services annually, with more demand every year. The nonprofit is working towards its $1 Million fundraising goal until May 31 to continue to meet these crucial needs. Supporters can donate at WalkWithMeHouston.org to help provide transformative programming to veterans, service members, children and adults with disabilities, and the families that love them.

After celebrating the stories of the Ambassadors, Ryan, Duncan, and Ethan, the crowd walked and rolled to the starting line. Ryan excitedly cut the starting line with oversized scissors. With that the 4,000 walkers set off together, amongst the elephants, giraffes, and cheetahs, towards a more inclusive and accessible future.

The sun continued shining on the joyful event where they celebrated differences and client wins all morning. The 5K concluded at the Masihara Pavilion, where the lively after party included animal shows, a children's carnival, the DJ getting the crowd to their feet, and a breakfast spread. The cheerful atmosphere and beaming smiles made it evident that the 12th Annual Walk With Me set the high-water mark. Easter Seals Greater Houston and 2024 co-chairs Katie Dowdell of Prosperity Bank and James Stinson of Quanta Services plan on topping themselves again on Saturday, April 20, 2024.

Special thanks to the 2023 Walk With Me Sponsors: Prosperity Bank, CareSource, Quanta Services, Team Industrial Services, Texas Children's Hospital, Alvarez and Marsal, Bristow Group Inc, Champion Energy Services, Comcast, Elise Hough, Hess, King & Spalding, LATHAM & WATKINS LLP, Locke Lord, Houston Methodist Hospital, Verizon Connect, Whalley Family Foundation, Amtex Insurance, Community Health Choice, Custom Truck One Source, Dan Kroll, Element Fleet, EPAM, Gate Energy, Goodyear, HEB, Lockton, Oil States International, Slate Real Estate Partners, United Rentals, AmRisc, Barbara Coleman, Bissinger, Oshman, Williams & Strasburger LLP, Capital Retail Properties, Clinton Wong, Complete Care Medical, Darri Coleman Ofczarzak, Energy Ogre, Gina Curry, Harper & Pearson, Heather & Mike Simpson, Higginbotham, Houston On The Cheap, Kirkland & Ellis, LikeMinds, Loop Central / Griffin Partners, Mary A. & Thomas F. Grasselli Endowment Foundation, Monk JCB, and Vaughn Construction.

Contact: Lauren Johnson, Easter Seals Greater Houston
[email protected]

SOURCE Easter Seals Greater Houston