Love This Cause

Love for children in homeless shelters spurs unique fundraiser for new nonprofit

With new non-profits popping up on the horizon with regularity, we sometimes wonder why the good Samaritans don't join forces and consolidate their noble efforts for greater efficiency. But the latest group to come to our attention wins our hearts.

Blair Bentley, founder and executive director of Homemade Hope, has created a non-profit that provides hands-on cooking classes, holiday celebrations around the table, and field trips that aims "to transform mealtime from a reminder of scarcity to an expression of creativity, nurturing families and nourishing hope for a better life ahead."

Bentley, with the assist of chairs Mary and Larry Peterson, organized the first official fundraiser for the organization. The event, held at the JW Marriott Downtown, honored long-time homeless services supporter Mary Lou Pringle. Eleven-year-old Luke from Southside Community Shelter shared his gratitude for Homemade Hope programs. He was accompanied by Southside executive director Oliver Stevenson.

Bentley tapped her sister, KUBE-57 TV sportscaster Brooke Bentley-Gunst, to serve as emcee of the event, for which Marriott pulled out the stops.

The Bentley sisters were reared in the tradition of giving back. Their father, attorney Barton Bentley, has served as vice president of the Chinquapin Preparatory School for low-income students in Highlands, Texas. Their mother retired as the executive director of ArtBridge Houston, a nonprofit arts program for homeless children.

Among those savoring the cocktail fare and dancing to the sounds of Mid Life Crisis & the Hot Flashes were Sergio Marazita, Yvonne and Rufus Cormier, Janessa and Doug Young, Mike Mahlstedt, Bart Bentley, Stuart Rosenberg, Marcy de Luna, and Shelby Searcy and Fernando Battle.

Oliver Stevenson, Blair Bentley, Luke Mize.

Photo by Chris Brown

Oliver Stevenson, Blair Bentley, Luke Mize.

fundraisers families

shock and awe

Dark elegance and spooky splendor raise $1.1M for Children’s Museum Houston

When the Children’s Museum Houston threw its annual adult fête on October 26, the Corinthian wasn’t just an event space, it was a full-on haunted playground for the city’s imaginative souls. Nearly 500 attendees — clad in mysterious black lace, horns, feathers, and flowing capes — stepped into a realm where goth and childhood wonder collided with spectacular results.

This year’s “Noir Ball: A Celebration of Haunted Elegance,” chaired by Whitney and Ryan Burns and Allison and Iván Chávez, made no bones about its moody vibe. From the moment partygoers floated in, the eerie ambiance—think chandeliers dripping in ghostly light and roses under glass cages—set the stage.

The masterminds at Bergner and Johnson Design turned the room into a scene from a spellbinding fairytale, where fog floated ominously across a grand fountain, dotted with rose petals and flickering candles. One could practically hear the spirits whisper.

And as any child knows, no Halloween is complete without a little shock and awe. At one point, lightning cracked and thunder rolled through the room. Even the sweet tooth found its haunting hour with Jackson and Co.’s darkly decadent desserts, including cake candles that might just have you second-guessing what’s edible. It was a feast fit for vampires, werewolves, and Houston’s social elite alike.

Adding to the festivities, ‘80s cover band The Spazmatics revived the dance floor with a high-energy, undead-worthy set, pulling every last creature of the night into their spell. With the iconic chandeliers casting an ethereal glow, the floor was alive with revelers reliving their MTV glory days.

Maleficent, Dracula, and Wednesday Addams mingled with the crowd, adding a dash of dark fantasy to the evening’s ambiance while paddle bids flew during the live and silent auctions chaired by Devorah Krieger and Elizabeth McIngvale-Mackey. Highlights included everything from a diamond necklace to a puppy duo courtesy of K-9 Angels Rescue. Guests vied with ghostly fervor for a bangle donated by Zadok Jewelers. After a close battle, Yana Rodilosso emerged triumphant

The evening raised a spine-tingling $1.14 million, the museum’s second-highest tally ever, all to fuel its mission to nurture Houston's young minds.

Among the undead were Alexandra and Alex Cabraie, Antoinette and Julian Duncan, Kathryn and Travis Boeker, Erin Smith, Bethany and Ben Buchanan, Courtney and Bo Hughes, Deanna Altenhoff, Darren Brasher, Stephanie Wilcox, Freddie Minahan, Heather and Mark Teshoian, Iona and Mike Avery, Veronica and John Griffin, Lacey and Matt Goossen, Ashley and Jonathan Sloan, Neil Badlani and Rekha Muddaraj, Cassandra and Ryan Dalton, and Matthew Mackey.

Photo by Alexander’s Fine Portrait Design

Ashley Sloan, Kathryn Boeker, Erin Smith, and Bethany Buchanan.