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    Cash Grab

    Mysterious donor hatches plan to give Houstonians cash for random acts of kindness

    Kate Bentsen
    Jun 4, 2014 | 4:46 pm

    Houston, are you ready to stampede the streets? Friday could be your chance to win up to $200 of hidden cash — thanks to acts of kindness sweeping the nation.

    It all started two weeks ago when a San Francisco native created the Twitter account @hiddencash, which has now surged to almost 450,000 followers. The account posts random tweets throughout the day, giving scavenger-hunt-like hints to find white envelopes filled with anywhere between $10 to $210. The brains behind the craze, who has remained anonymous, is a real estate mogul who says that after seeing how fortunate he or she was with financial success, wanted to pay back the city and share their wealth.

    The series of events starts with a clue tweeted and often vague photo of the location:

    First name of a composer who lived to be over 100 (last name is a European capital) + square root of 49 pic.twitter.com/YcrriWi6jz

    — Hidden Cash (@HiddenCash) May 25, 2014

    Next the crowds swarm the various venues:

    True power of #SocialMedia RT @NBCLA: Crowds rush #Burbank to find @HiddenCash LIVE VIDEO: https://t.co/xlaF7AbWoW pic.twitter.com/yQqcv9c9AJ

    — Amber (@AmberTubbs) May 30, 2014

    And finally the cash is found and tweeted by the lucky winner.

    Found it! Thanks @HiddenCash ! pic.twitter.com/TuV6zU1W3S

    — Cassandra (@helloshinyworld) May 30, 2014

    So how did this giver make their way to Los Angeles, Nashville, New Orleans, Dallas, Chicago and eventually Houston? A number of the new giveaway accounts are actually various copycats just trying to spread the love, says the San Francisco mogul on his Twitter account.

    Since its start, the giving has turned into a two-way street. In exchange for the anonymous cash drops, the Twitter account heads are asking that the cities become inspired to pass the kindness forward by donating toys to local charities, picking up garbage on the beach or even stuffing backpacks for back to school drives.

    This phenomenon kicked off in Houston on Tuesday under the account @HoustonHiddenGifts. The mysterious Houston organizer encouraged followers to do such good things as give blood or drop off gifts for cancer patients at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. (The gift effort fizzled on Wednesday when a number of visitors appeared without advance notice to the hospital.)

    Although the Twitter account is still working out some tweaks, the number of followers has jumped by 1,500 to more than 6,000 in the past 12 hours.

    While some Houstonians online weren’t very welcoming of the idea, stating that despite the kindness, “nothing is free in life,” the majority has been extremely receptive.

    Want your chance to find the cash? Follow @HoustonHiddenGifts or find them on Facebook to get the clues and updates on how you can return the favor and give back to your city.

    Houston get ready for it. Our very own cash and other gifts scavenger hunt of random kindness. First drop coming up Friday!

    — HoustonHiddenGifts (@HoustonHiddenGi) June 3, 2014
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    This Week's Hot Headlines

    West Houston Tex-Mex restaurant says adios and more popular stories

    CultureMap Staff
    Oct 17, 2026 | 11:00 am
    Moderno Tacos & Tex-Mex campechana with chips
    Photo by Kimberly Park
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    Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, including a Tex-Mex shutter and the next chapter for a beloved wine shop. Read on for our most popular stories, then plan your weekend right here.

    1. Houston Tex-Mex joint to shutter, but breakfast tacos will live on. A West Houston Tex-Mex restaurant is saying adios after 12 years, but its beloved breakfast tacos will live on. Moderno Tacos & Tex Mex will close after service on Saturday, October 24, owner John Moore tells CultureMap.

    2. Longtime employee uncorks a new chapter at beloved Houston wine shop. After 42 years under its founder, one of Houston’s best wine shops is changing hands. A longtime employee and his wife are taking the reins of Houston Wine Merchant.

    Antonio Gianola Houston Wine Merchant Antonio Gianola is the new co-owner of Houston Wine Merchant. Courtesy of Houston Wine Merchant

    3. 3 Houston breweries earn medals at prestigious Great American Beer Festival. Three Houston area breweries have a reason to raise a glass after securing hardware in the nation’s top contest for brewers and craft aficionados.

    4. Globe-trotting Houston chef reviews Noma's $1,500 Los Angeles pop-up. David Skinner, chef and owner of Kemah’s celebrated eculent and Ishtia restaurants, shares his experience eating at one of the world’s best restaurants.

    5. Houston children's hospital serves up la dolce vita at Italian soirée. Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital toasted the final days of summer with Dolce Vita, an Italian-inspired evening for 150 guests.

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