Kinder Foundation

Twenty-five years of the Kinder Excellence in Teaching Awards (KETA) is a milestone worth celebrating.

The award brings together educators, school leaders and KETA alumni each year to recognize teachers whose work makes a lasting difference for their students and school communities. This year, we celebrated 12 honorees representing KIPP Texas Public Schools, YES Prep Public Schools, Teach For America Houston, and Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

Since 2001, KETA has recognized 335 teachers and highlighted the important role educators play in supporting student success and strengthening Houston’s education community.

These photos capture a few moments from an evening dedicated to celebrating educators and the impact they have on students, schools and communities. 📚

We're honored to share that Rich Kinder, chairman of Kinder Foundation®, was named one of America's most successful veterans as part of the Forbes 250 initiative celebrating America's 250th anniversary. The list recognizes veterans whose post-service achievements have made a lasting impact across business, government, philanthropy and culture. Rich served in the Vietnam War as a Captain in the U.S. Army.

Kinder Foundation is grateful for this recognition and for the chance to keep building on a legacy of giving back to the community.

What do Hollywood stars, business pioneers and U.S. presidents have in common?

For many of America’s most influential figures, military service was just one chapter in a much bigger story.

For America’s 250th anniversary, Forbes ranked 250 of the most successful historical veterans, looking not only at what they accomplished in uniform, but at the companies they built, careers they shaped, wealth they created and impact they made afterward.

Meet the America’s Most Successful Historical Veterans: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2026/08/14/forbes-250-americas-most-successful-historic-veterans/?utm_source=ForbesMainFacebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ForbesMainFB

Illustration: Mr. Nelson Design; Stock Montage (2), Bettmann, George Rose, Central Press, Stock Montage via Getty Images

Kinder Foundation® recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Kinder Excellence in Teaching Awards (KETA), gathering with educators, school leaders and KETA alumni to mark the occasion.

The 12 honorees represent four Houston-area school networks: KIPP Texas Public Schools; YES Prep Public Schools; Teach For America Houston (with winners from Aldine ISD and Houston Independent School District this year); and Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

Since 2001, KETA has honored 335 teachers for their dedication to students and school communities. We're proud to celebrate this year's honorees and the difference educators make every day.

Members of the Kinder Foundation® team recently visited Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory of Houston to see progress on two exciting new spaces: The Sarofim Center for Art, Science, and Innovation and the Kinder Blackbox Theater.

The Sarofim Center will advance Cristo Rey Jesuit's STEAM education with hands-on spaces for creativity, technology and innovation, while the Kinder Blackbox Theater will bring a new home for performance and the arts to the school community.

We look forward to seeing these spaces come to life and the opportunities they'll create for Cristo Rey Jesuit students.

Access to and use of parks and greenspaces play an important role in community well-being.

New research highlighted by the Kinder Institute for Urban Research examines how often Houstonians visit greenspaces and what that may mean for mental health. The findings also raise important questions about what influences how people use parks, including access, transportation, safety and the quality of amenities.

The research offers insight into how Houstonians engage with greenspaces and the factors that may shape those experiences.

Read the Kinder Institute’s Urban Edge article to learn more.

Houstonians don’t visit greenspaces very often. Why that could matter for residents’ mental health. | Kinder Institute for Urban Research Houstonians aren’t taking many trips to the park — and a recent study suggests that could be a missed opportunity for better mental health.

September brings a variety of opportunities to experience art, culture, music and community at Discovery Green.

From free fitness classes and creative workshops to live performances, cultural celebrations and the return of Flea by Night, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. We encourage Houstonians to explore the park’s September lineup and make the most of this vibrant public space.

See what’s happening at Discovery Green and plan your visit.

Kinder Foundation® recently joined the Houston Food Bank, community partners and leaders for the groundbreaking of CORE by Houston Food Bank.

The new 310,000-square-foot facility will expand the food bank’s capacity for food distribution, cold storage, disaster response and volunteer engagement while bringing trusted community partners together to provide essential services in one location.

Kinder Foundation is proud to support this important investment and looks forward to the greater reach and impact it will make possible for communities across the Houston Food Bank’s 18-county service area.

Arts education gives young people opportunities to build confidence, express themselves and develop a stronger connection to their communities.

Kinder Foundation® supports Houston In Color and its work to expand access to arts education and invest in the next generation of Houston’s artists and cultural leaders. These opportunities help young people develop their talents while strengthening Houston’s creative community.

Learn more about Houston In Color’s arts education programs at houstonincolor.org.

Arts education shapes how young people see themselves and their futures.

Our Arts Education cohort participants are doing this work every day. Giving young people room to build confidence, creativity, and community.

The next generation of Houston's culture bearers is already here. Our role is to help make sure they have what they need to keep building.

Learn more about our Arts Education programs at houstonincolor.org