The inaugural meeting of the Houston chapter of ‘100 Men Who Give a Damn’ network, organized by several Houston-area businessmen, raised $13,825 in one hour for one local charity. Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. (Munsch Hardt) Shareholders Tom Barber and Cliff Harrison were among the group of men who planned and hosted the kick-off event.
At the first chapter meeting Thursday, August 11, three charities, Girls on the Run, Making It Better and Houston Food Bank, pitched their respective organizations to the group of businessmen in hopes of receiving at least $100 from each attendee.
“At Munsch Hardt, it is engrained in our culture to be involved in community service projects. This organization allows men from across the city to not only give back, but also network with each other. We are proud the first event was a success for Making It Better and look forward to many more fruitful events in the future.”
Making It Better was the night’s winning organization and collected a total of $13,825 non-taxable funds from the 86 men in attendance. The organization works tirelessly to address severe disadvantages faced by at-risk children in the Houston area by offering a variety of programs that provide quality support services to enhance students’ social emotional learning and provide a foundation for academic success. All programs focus on developing literacy skills and are tailored to meet the needs of those served. Whether the program is academic or enrichment, delivered during or after school, on a school campus or in an apartment-based program, Making It Better’s overarching goal is always the same: developing relationships and improving self-esteem by sparking creativity, fostering the desire to succeed, developing social skills and expanding life experiences.
“We are so honored to have won the first pitch competition from the Houston chapter of ‘100 Men Who Give a Damn,’” said Jacque Daughtry, Executive Director of Making It Better. “To have the opportunity to bring additional awareness to the challenges faced by underserved children in Houston, particularly in the area of literacy, is such a blessing for us and we are thankful for this amazing group of men! These funds will help us continue to provide programs that improve literacy, leadership and life skills for underserved elementary students.”
The ‘100 Men Who Give A Damn’ Houston Chapter will host quarterly meetings where men will enjoy a networking happy hour and then hear five-minute pitches from three charities chosen randomly from a pool nominated by the members. After the members vote, the winning charity receives a $100 check from each member. The next meeting is set for November 10.
Barber and Harrison were a part of the initial group of local leaders that included: Josh Harrison (Norman Smith Equipment), Bill Goeke (Weingarten Realty Investors), Barry Hammond (Aspire Commodities, LP), Dave Lee (Gemini MSP), Eric Cohen (Butler-Cohen LLC) and Greg Scheinman (Insgroup Inc.).