The good times were rolling for a good cause on August 13 as guests of NextGen Real Estate gathered for a bowling-themed fundraiser.
While the clatter of strikes rang out across the alley, the cash donations racked up: A whopping $25,000 was raised in aid of NextGen’s chosen charity, B.I.G. Love Cancer Care.
A huge number of NextGen’s partners from across Houston came forward to support this cause, all of whom — like the real estate firm itself — have placed Houstonians and their wellbeing at the heart of their business models.
Also in attendance were Kid Ambassadors from the charity, some currently undergoing treatment, who came out with their families to enjoy the bowling, arcade games, pizza, and cake.
Established in 2007, B.I.G. Love’s core mission is to meet the urgent needs of childhood cancer patients and their families. They don’t fund research, nor do they have a big fancy office (or, indeed, any office — to keep overhead low).
The clue is in their name: they show up big in their local community (currently serving eight Texas hospitals) and love on those facing the hardships posed by the pediatric form of this disease.
“We pride ourselves on being so much more than a brokerage,” states NextGen Real Estate CEO and broker Julia Wang. “Relationships, good will, and giving back to our community are central to our corporate culture. Not because we feel we have to, but because what we do is who we are. Our hometown love is authentic. It’s why we sell Houston, and it’s why you see so many of our own agents here tonight leading by philanthropic example.”
Striking a deal
One of the first sponsors to throw their support behind the cause was Jennifer Hernandez, senior loan officer at Legacy Mutual. Like many, she has firsthand awareness of cancer and how it affects families.
Motivated by her sister’s diagnosis, she has since pledged a $100 donation for every family she helps to finance. In fact, she has given considerably more: 342 families later, Hernandez has donated a total of $50,000 to charities across Houston, including B.I.G. Love.
One such family was the McSpaddens, whose son, Aidan, was 17 months old when he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. After two years of intensive treatments, he passed away on May 4, 2012.
The B.I.G. Love Angels for Aidan “Comfort Cart” Program was established in his memory, providing terminal in-patients and their families a number of useful items (like snacks, coffee, toys, and aromatherapy) to make their hospital stays a bit more bearable.
“When Julia approached me to participate in the Bowling Night, I did not hesitate,” confirms Hernandez. “I am honored to again be a part of this amazing cause.”
Likewise, Viridiana Salinas, owner of The Viridian Agency (Allstate), had personal reasons for sponsoring this event. She lost her grandmother to the disease and, shaken by news of her mother’s diagnosis at the end of last year, she walked down the aisle believing that her wedding day may be one of their last special moments together as a family.
As her mother continues her courageous fight against the disease, Salinas was moved to support the B.I.G. Love cause.
“This is very personal to our entire team,” she explains. “Providing peace of mind during difficult times is our mission at The Viridian Agency. We understand that every client is different, and we take time to tailor their insurance for the total security of their family and assets.”
For Melissa Toro and Chad Touqan, owners of Milan Home Staging and VFR Texas, the cause was especially meaningful. “Like so many, cancer has impacted our family,” explains Luxury Home Staging specialist, Melissa. “We are honored to support this organization and their amazing work that cares for children with cancer and their families in Houston.”
Echoes of these sentiments rippled among the evenings’ attendees, who exchanged stories — some painful, some joyful — as well as prayers, high-fives, and hugs.
Another of the evening’s sponsors, Sarah Springer, agency owner at Goosehead Insurance, shared a similar response.
“It was a pleasure teaming up with Julia Wang and her agents at NextGen to give back to a worthy cause like B.I.G. Love Cancer Care," says Springer. "Cancer is not something I always think of as impacting children, so I was especially moved to sponsor this event to raise funds as well as awareness.”
Other representatives from the real estate industry included Patten Title Company, Control Garage Door Repair, Point Capital Services, Cori Scherer at US Bank, Shannon Property Management, Frontier Title Memorial, HighTech Finishing, Elevated Development, Fidelity National Title Downtown, Berger Allied Moving & Storage, and Tradition Title, all of whom donated generously to the B.I.G. Love cause.
Let the good times roll
Bowling is a game of precision and skill, but also one of leisure, camaraderie, and flair. The “work hard, play hard” ethos at NextGen Real Estate is often noted, but what the evening’s event showed was how this manifests in meaningful ways for the Houston community.
“The NextGen team worked together like a family to bring smiles and enthusiasm to this event,” reflects Jessica Creamer, program director of B.I.G. Love Cancer Care for the South Texas region. “We are so thankful for their hard work and dedication.”
The evening’s sponsors spanned the breadth of Houston’s service industries, such as Clutch City Cluckers, the Nashville-inspired hot chicken upstart that has catered a number of NextGen events.
Likewise, Luxe Mobile IV, Extend Hair Extensions and Color, and La Vie en Rose Company will be familiar names to anyone familiar with NextGen’s past creative collabs. Saturday’s bowling event no doubt marks the first of many charitable partnerships to come.
But scanning the names of the evening’s sponsors shows just how much NextGen’s sphere of influence reaches into every aspect of Houston life.
From Auto Maxx to Bisel Hearing Aids, Houston Eye Associates to Woah Lash, and the sommeliers at Madame Zéro champagne, it is clear that NextGen’s partners across a range of industries share the philanthropic heart and purpose of the brokerage itself.
“My motto since the day I started this firm has been Kwon Cares,” affirms attorney at law Chris Kwon. “I am grateful for the opportunity NextGen gave me to show our commitment to that philosophy by supporting a well-deserving charity.”
Jessica Hatch agrees. As the CEO of Hatching for Health, she understands how imperative it is to keep charitable work front of mind by hosting events such as these.
“My foundation’s ultimate goal is to create awareness in the hope of finding cures for children with health conditions, so this type of event has my wholehearted support. You could say it is right up my alley!”
Bowled over
Puns aside (we’ll let that one “slide,” Jessica!), the impact of these collective efforts are undeniable for a grassroots organization like B.I.G. Love Cancer Care. While they utilize over $150,000 of in-kind donations annually, cash donations enable the charity to direct funds where they are most needed.
These needs include everything from gas cards and a hot meal to help with funeral expenses, but what they have in common is the urgency with which they are met — and that is something that B.I.G. Love, as a local organization founded by cancer families, is uniquely placed to do.
“Having been the recipient as well as the donor of B.I.G. Love items,” writes one survivor in her testimonial, “I can truly say that B.I.G. Love provides not only items necessary for everyday living, but it brings peace of mind and happiness along with it — two things which are hard to come by on a cancer ward. B.I.G. Love is the biggest blessing any cancer patient could ever ask for.”
Creamer describes both the event and the donations raised as “incredible” for her charity. “They made this event so special for our kids that were able to come and spend the day outside of the hospital room or clinic. No matter how many times they ran out of arcade credits, Julia and her team had refill cards for them right away.”
A perfect game
The winners of the night were GoCo, the Houston-based tech company that provides all-in-one HR software solutions for small businesses.
“One of the pillars of our organization is Give First,” explains founder and CTO Jason Wang. “In principle, this means that we offer value before we ask for it. In reality, this means that charity work and giving back are important precursors to our day-to-day work of serving clients.”
But judging by the smiling faces all round, it wasn’t the winning that mattered most on Saturday night. It was the knowledge that every dollar raised was benefitting children battling cancer and their families.
Armando Alaniz, mortgage loan advisor at Alliance, agrees. “What I love most about this charity is knowing that my contribution might put some smiles on faces while families are enduring some of the most difficult challenges of their lives.”
Like Salinas, he sees analogies between the work of a charity like B.I.G. Love and the support he is able to give clients when it counts the most.
“Everyone has their part to play,” is the message Brittany Harris, clinical manager at BHRC Houston, hopes to convey with her support of this cause. “To know that in our work we are making an impact — however small — by rejuvenating and energizing our community leaders brings meaning to what we do at BHRC.”
A reminder that we could all love a little bigger was surely the take-home from the night, and a core philosophy of the abundance-minded people behind NextGen Real Estate.
“I am honored that our sphere of influence attracted such a great turnout for this cause,” reflects Julia Wang. “To see the kid ambassadors and their families come out and have so much fun was fulfilling for me personally, and for all the big-hearted agents I am proud to work alongside at NextGen.”
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If you have any “spare” change to give, check out B.I.G. Love Cancer Care’s donation page, and stay tuned for the next big event hosted by NextGen Real Estate.
NextGen Real Estate agents raised $25,000 in aid of B.I.G. Love Cancer Care.
