Houston Students Head Back to School with Safety Message

Sep 20, 2013 3:00 PM ET

Community Ties

The City of Houston hosted its annual Mayor's Back To School Festival at the University of Houston's main campus last Saturday. The event supports families who can't afford the costs of getting their child ready for school. Union Pacific took the opportunity not only to lend a hand, but to spread its safety message.

Each year the city accepts reservations from 25,000 students and their families to attend the festival. Every student leaves with a backpack filled with supplies, which this year included a zipper-pull bearing the safety message "Always Expect a Train," and the UP CARES website address.

Students also had access to immunizations, discounts for school uniforms, haircuts and other items to make sure the kindergarten-through-5th graders were ready for school. Union Pacific has sponsored the event for several years. UP employees were on hand to help distribute the pulls along with Operation Lifesaver safety items.

To find out more about UP's public safety message, go to unionpacificcares.com.