Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex – LBJ Infrastructure Group & NTE Mobility Partners spent the month of January finishing up distribution of nearly a quarter of a million dollars to assist in the most critical areas of feeding and housing. The operators of LBJ/NTE/35W TEXpress Lanes corridors in North Texas, reached out to a variety of community organizations throughout the region. These donations were given with maximum flexibility for recipients; efforts to provide resources to those struggling during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have thousands of employees in many countries around the world and they have all been impacted during this pandemic,” said LBJ/NTE/35W CEO, Alberto Gonzalez. “As a global company, we have raised funds and awareness around safety measures, delivering resources, research, and volunteering.”
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, NTEMP/LBJIG provided discounts to emergency responders and health care workers who traveled on the TEXpress Lanes. As the pandemic began to make a significant impact in North Texas, NTEMP/LBJIG made a donation to the Tarrant Area Food Bank in Fort Worth for $67,600, to address the need of hunger in our community and a separate gift of the same amount to the North Texas Food Bank in Dallas, totalling over $135,000.
“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact North Texans,” said Trisha Cunningham, president and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank. “In order to effectively meet the increased need, the Food Bank has relied on our caring community who have rallied behind our important mission. Thanks to the generosity of NTEMP/LBJIG, the Food Bank will be able to provide more than 200,000 meals.”
In addition to supporting the efforts to feed hungry families in North Texas, NTEMP/LBJIG conducted the #TEXpressGivesBack contest to allow the public to vote on their favorite charitable organizations. Thousands of participants cast their votes on social media platforms during the month of October and nine local non-profits were awarded contributions that topped $14,000.
Then in November, the NTEMP/LBJIG philanthropic focus returned to feeding those in need. On Saturday, November 21st, the company donated a portion of revenues generated from drivers who traveled on the TEXpress Lanes to the Tarrant Area Food Bank and North Texas Food Bank to the tune of an additional $30,000.
During an ongoing dialogue with local officials about the challenges our community continues to face during the COVID-19 pandemic, NTEMP/LBJIG leadership recognized two additional areas of need throughout the North Texas region: education and homelessness.
“Our LBJ, NTE and 35W teams are on the front lines of this covid-19 healthcare crisis maintaining clear and safe mobility across the region,” stated Alberto Gonzalez. “We see the impacts of a growing homeless population in North Texas along our highways and the food lines growing every day. Our organization has a commitment to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and an obligation to help our friends and neighbors.”
NTEMP/LBJIG also provided an additional $30,000 to six education foundations across North Texas—Birdville, Carrollton-Farmers Branch, Fort Worth, HEB, Keller and Northwest ISDs. The previous work NTEMP/LBJIG has been involved in with education foundations has primarily focused on and encouraged students to be engaged in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs.
“We all know our teachers have been on the frontlines during this pandemic,” indicated Dr. Kent P. Scribner, Superintendent of Fort Worth ISD. “These much-needed dollars to our education foundation will help our teachers bring new, innovative ideas to our students and help keep the students on track as we all face the challenges of a COVID learning environment.”
To address the efforts of local organizations to aid those experiencing homelessness, NTEMP/LBJIG is also making donations exceeding $35,000 to a dozen homeless agencies spanning all of North Texas.
“The current pandemic has provided extraordinary challenges for all of us. For those facing homelessness, it only compounds an already difficult situation, stated Lauren King, Executive Director of Tarrant County Homeless Coaliltion. “Extra dollars, during these challenging times, are greatly appreciated and will be utilized to respond quickly to ensure basic needs are met and our community keeps people as safe as possible.”
When Alberto Gonzalez was asked why this is important and what can others do to help, he responded by saying: “Our company is dedicated to a better world through providing innovative infrastructure solutions, and the basic human necessities and conveniences we all need in life. But we will take it one step further to also encourage and challenge all other organizations and individuals across North Texas to share their compassion as well as dollars for this very worthy cause.”
These donations are part of a larger fundraising campaign, Ferrovial Together COVID-19, created by the parent company, Ferrovial, to support vulnerable groups or those at risk of exclusion as a result of the current health crisis. The funds will also be used to make donations to the health administration, hospitals, universities, research and development centers, and NGOs in a series of specific projects.
These projects will focus on the acquisition of medical supplies and medical equipment and the investigation of pharmacological solutions or vaccines to combat the effects of the pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus. In the United States, the company has donated $150,000 to Baylor University to assist with its COVID-19 research efforts.
In the United States, the company donated more than $1,305,522 to food banks and education foundations throughout the communities in which they operate. Worldwide, the company has made a total contribution of $9,548,634 to facilitate access to food for vulnerable people, and support recovery efforts and vaccine research.