HOUSTON – The moment was golden. The surprise was genuine. And the giving was from the heart.
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and his foundation, in partnership with Ashley Furniture, surprised a Houston woman, Ashly Scott-Jones, with a fully furnished home as a grand prize recipient through the second annual Delivering Dreams initiative
Scott-Jones recently became a first-time homeowner. She received nearly 30 community nominations for her compassion, leadership and dedication to assisting families in need in her South Houston neighborhood.
“C.J. has been working with them and they’re always so gracious, always giving back to the community,” said Kimberly Stroud, C.J.’s mother and the president of the C.J. Stroud Foundation, in an interview with KPRC 2. “And they stand for a lot of the pillars that we do. And this family that they gave the furniture to, they’re in an underserved community. And that’s really what the C.J. Stroud Foundation stands for: giving back to communities that may not have the means to do the things that we kind of take for granted. As an organization, I couldn’t have worked with a better company than Ashley.
“To be selected you have to be someone that stands out. And I think that she was nominated so many times because she stands out in our community, kind of like what C.J. does. He stands out. He’s a leader. To make an impact in our world, you have to be a leader. And that’s what Ashly does. She goes out and she tries to make a change. And it takes people to help people. So, I think that’s what stood out and why so many people felt that she deserved this. Her house looks so beautiful. She deserves to walk into a beautiful home.She gives sacrificially to so many.”
C.J. Stroud and content creator Zachery Dereniowski visited Scott-Jones at her home to personally let her know that she was getting the home furniture makeover.
“I’ve loved hearing Ashly’s story. She’s made a big impact on so many individuals and families around her,” C.J. Stroud said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to partner with Ashley to serve the people who make Houston so special.”
Scott-Jones was selected through a panel made up of Stroud, Dereniowski and Ashley representatives.
“It’s always a privilege to use my platform to serve others,” Dereniowski said. “Everyone deserves a comfortable place to call home, and this initiative is helping make that possible.”
Now, Scott-Jones and her husband, Derrick, can enjoy the comforts of their new furniture.
“I became a first-time homeowner last month, and while it’s a major milestone, it can also be overwhelming,” Scott-Jones said. “This experience has changed our lives, and I can’t thank Ashley enough for bringing this program to our community.”
In addition to Scott-Jones winning the grand prize, five runner-ups received Texans merchandise, tickets to a home game and $500 in Ashley store credit.
Ashley is donating an additional $50,000 to help other Houston families and organizations, including Mission of Yahweh, the Women’s Home and Finishing Touch.
“I’m so grateful to Ashley,” Kimberly Stroud said. “I can’t even begin to describe the gratitude that we have as a foundation for the generosity that they have just to reach back out to C.J.’s foundation and give $50,000 worth of furniture. I mean, that’s unheard of, That’s probably the most generous donation that we’ve received so far. We’re able to help three amazing organizations. Mission of Yahweh takes homeless women and children in, and not only do they help them rebuild their lives,they help them rebuild their self-esteem, their self-worth. It’s just amazing work.
“The other organization is the Women’s Home. This is an organization that helps with women that are getting back on their feet after drug and alcohol abuse. Some of them are just coming out of domestic violence situations. And so they help them get on their feet. They also provide low-income housing for families that have suffered eviction or different things like that. We are also giving some of this blessing to Finishing Touch. And what they do is they take low-income families and they sit and consult with them and figure out what do they need in their home.”
The Texans are riding a five-game winning streak punctuated by a big win Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. From an 0-3 start, the defending AFC South champions are now 8-5 and competing for a spot in the playoffs.
“That’s such a huge win,” Kimberly Stroud said. “And one thing I love about our team is that they are a brotherhood. Over the last couple years, I’ve been really praying that we would feel that and I feel it. Even just seeing them hug each other after plays and pumping each other up, it’s pretty amazing to see. And I think that’s when you see greatness come to life is when hey play together as a team. And that’s what we’re seeing. So it’s pretty amazing, pretty exciting.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
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