Reliant Home Run Derby with Dallas Cowboys Knocks it Out of the Park Surpassing $1 Million for DFW Nonprofits

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Reliant Home Run Derby with Dallas Cowboys Knocks it Out of the Park Surpassing $1 Million for DFW Nonprofits

2025-04-23 11:32 Last Updated At：11:52

FRISCO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 22, 2025--

With thousands of fans cheering them on, the Dallas Cowboys stepped up to the plate and swung for the fences at the 12th annual Reliant Home Run Derby. The result: Reliant is donating $113,700 to 22 North Texas nonprofits, surpassing $1 million in total charitable support since the charity event began in 2012.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250422165870/en/

“The Reliant Home Run Derby with the Dallas Cowboys is a fun and exciting competition that brings everyone together for a great cause,” said Andrea Russell, senior vice president, Reliant. “This year's event was a home run in every sense, raising thousands for local charities and showcasing the incredible spirit of Cowboys fans and our community. Surpassing $1 million in total charitable support is an incredible milestone, and we're excited to keep this tradition going and continue making a positive impact here in North Texas.”

Cowboys players took turns at bat, with each hit and home run earning a donation from Reliant, raising a total of $76,600 to benefit The Salvation Army of North Texas. Cowboys punter Bryan Anger was named the 2025 Reliant Home Run Derby champion with $13,200 raised and eight home runs. The full Dallas Cowboys lineup included:

Majors Paul and Dawn McFarland, Area Commanders for The Salvation Army of North Texas, and local students involved with The Salvation Army attended the event. One deserving student from The Salvation Army’s Gene and Jerry Jones Family Youth Education Town in Arlington also earned the opportunity to throw out the first pitch to a Cowboys player.

“Year after year, we are inspired by the generosity and enthusiasm of everyone involved with this event, and this year was no exception,” said Charlotte Jones, co-owner and chief brand officer, Dallas Cowboys. “We are grateful to Reliant for supporting local charities here in DFW, and we want to thank our amazing fans for their support and enthusiasm.”

Reliant Media League

Before the Cowboys took to the diamond, Reliant invited local media to try their hand at bat for a good cause in the ninth annual Reliant Media League, which featured 11 reporters from across DFW. Together they raised a total of $27,100 for local North Texas charities.

The lineup and their charities included:

Kristi Scales with the Dallas Cowboys Radio Network served as the Reliant Media League emcee.

Reliant supports local communities through volunteerism, charitable giving and collaboration with a variety of organizations throughout the year. In 2024, Reliant donated more than $4.8 million to causes across Texas, with employees giving more than 4,000 volunteer hours to over 200 causes.

About Reliant, an NRG Company

Reliant makes power personal - that's why homes and businesses trust Reliant not only as a provider of electricity, but also as a pillar of support in the communities we serve. From a best-in-class app to breakthrough innovations, Reliant is recognized nationally for outstanding customer service and as the leader in the evolving energy space with offerings that span from EV solutions to solar insights to smart home experiences. As part of NRG Energy, Inc., a Fortune 500 energy and home services company, our purpose is to power a brighter future together, one that is safe, smart and sustainable. For more information about Reliant, visit reliant.com and connect with Reliant on Facebook at facebook.com/reliantenergy and X or Instagram @reliantenergy. PUCT Certificate #10007.

About The Salvation Army of North Texas

The Salvation Army of North Texas provides a range of services to combat poverty, addiction, and homelessness at 21 centers of operation in Dallas and Rockwall, Tarrant and Ellis, and Denton and Collin counties. Faithful to our mission, The Salvation Army enables God-empowered transformations of individuals and society through food assistance, shelter, rehabilitation, counseling, spiritual support, mentoring and job placement, and more. For more information, visit SalvationArmyNorthTexas.org.

Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.