Education Foundation and Partnerships Director Trina Silva has attended a number of events in recent weeks, showcasing the Education Foundation of Harris County (EFHC) to community and business partners while building relationships to benefit Harris County Department of Education (HCDE).

On Sept. 2, she attended a Greater Houston Partnership luncheon that explored the impact of House Bill 117 on families and the future of Houston’s workforce. The forum, titled, “Beyond Access: Strengthening Early Childhood Systems in Texas,” featured insights from Early Matters Executive Director Wendy Uptain and Texas Restaurant Association Chief Public Affairs Officer Kelsey Erickson Streufert on how aligned systems can expand access and improve quality across the state.

Silva represented the EFHC on Aug. 28 at the Houston Astros game as a guest of CenterPoint Energy, which invited nonprofit organizations to celebrate their partnerships. CenterPoint has supported numerous HCDE initiatives, including the All-Earth Ecobot Challenge and other Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment (CASE) for Kids programs. The same day, she joined CASE for Kids staff at the Lakeland Houston K-12 Food Show – the vendor donated food to the division’s Kids’ Day Healthy Living event and cooking competition in July.

EFHC leverages its business and community relationships to support students and educators in Harris County through grants, scholarships and school supplies.