Houston’s Unique Father-Focused Nonprofit Is Up For a Major Award (Again) — And You Can Vote For CoolxDad

Empowering Dads Of Color

BY Caitlin Hsu // 09.28.23

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CoolxDad founder Kevin Barnett, shown here with his daughters, knows winning prizes helps spread the word.

CoolxDad hosts a Knights Table Dinner, focused on enriching relationships between members. (Courtesy Kevin Barnett)

Lacee Jacobs-Barnett & Kevin Barnett with their family at the CoolxDad Color Box Kickoff at Art Is Bond (Photo by William Issac)

The Color Box gift drive is one of CoolxDad's most impactful initiatives. Art Is Bond hosted this season's lively kickoff, catered by Chef Monica Pope, with liquor sponsors Highway Vodka and Hennessy. Photo by William Issac)

Guests dined under a canopy of lights to at CoolxDad's 2022 Juneteenth dinner. (Photo by William Issac)

CoolxDad founder Kevin Barnett, shown here with his daughters, knows winning prizes helps spread the word.

Houston’s coolest dads are once again in the running for a grand prize that would greatly benefit the communities they help. Nonprofit organization CoolxDad, which aims to uplift and support Houston fathers of color, has been named a finalist in Land Rover’s Defender Service Awards for the second straight year.

This time, the dad-focused group is nominated for the Defender Service Honorees Award — a category specifically for nominees who deserve a second chance at winning the award.

The winning loot includes a customized Defender 130 and $25,000 this year. If selected, CoolxDad founder Kevin Barnett tells PaperCity that the group plans to use the Defender to transport supplies and volunteers for its various programs. The organization hosts several programs throughout the winter. That includes the annual Color Box gift drive running through the month of November, a free family portrait session scheduled at Sanman Studios for Sunday, November 26, and a 5K FunxRun taking place Saturday, December 2 at Hennessy Park.

Knights table dinner @ bluedorn — CoolxDad hosts a Knights Table Dinner, focused on enriching relationships between members. (Courtesy Kevin Barnett)

These are just some of CoolxDad’s many initiatives around Houston aimed at serving families and eradicating stigmas around fathers of color. Other initiatives include the Father’s Day Basketball Skills Clinic, free financial and business literacy workshops, mental health support for men and more. This past month, the nonprofit hosted a collaboration with the Houston Texans at Blackshear Elementary, where young students were given the opportunity to experience NFL Flag football drills, get portraits taken, and receive new school IDs and lanyards. CoolxDad also hosted a food demonstration and food drive with chef Andre Nieves at Little Red Box Grocery. Nieves taught the local dads how to create quick meals and repurpose leftovers.

Land Rover’s Defender Service Awards recognize nonprofit organizations and their acts of service for their communities. Public voting is open through this Wednesday, October 4.

You can vote for CoolxDad and other worthy causes here. Voting ends this Wednesday, October 4 at 10:59 pm Houston time. Learn more about CoolxDad here.