Over 400 supporters came together at the Astorian, on March 4, 2018, for Spring Party: Big Apple Brunch hosted by CHILDREN AT RISK and the Houston Food Bank. Guests in haute hats were there to raise money for Houston’s children and to “Take a bite out of child hunger.” The delightful afternoon was chaired by Norma and Beto Cardenas, Tracy and Harry Faulkner, Doe and Henry Florsheim, and Theresa Hildreth. The chef chair was David Cordua and Joy Chapman was the auction chair. Together, with the help of the afternoon’s generous guests, they raised $230,000.

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The Ballroom of the Astoria dazzled with sparkling chandeliers and shimmering downtown-Houston views as attendees mingled, munched, sipped cocktails, and admired each other’s stylish hats worn in honor of the annual Fifth Avenue Hat Parade in New York City. Many of Houston’s top chefs were there to prepare a brunch fit for a king, including Kiran Verma of  Kiran’s Restaurant; Mark Cox of Mark’s American Restaurant; Mark Holley of Holley’s Seafood; Robert Del Grande of Café Annie and The Grove; Michael and David Cordua of Americas and Churrascos; Ricardo Vargas of The Capital Grille; Peter Montalvo of the Houston Food Bank; and Drake Leonards of Eunice; along with their mini-sous, children from Northside High School.  

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Following the delicious brunch, the afternoon affair focused on Houston’s children to “take a bite out of child hunger,” which included a program emceed by Cynthia Cisneros of KTRK-13. President and CEO of CHILDREN AT RISK, Dr. Bob Sanborn, and Houston Food Bank president and CEO, Brian Greene, passionately spoke about the importance of Houston’s children having nutritious meals and never going to bed hungry.

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After the program concluded, the auction winners of coveted experiences and items, including a four-day French Cooking Class in the Loire Valley, a South African Safari, World Series Championship Painting by Opie Otterstad, a wine dinner for 10 at Americas, and Houston Rockets’ VIP Suite plus four parking passes, were announced. The triumphal moment of the event was the announcement of the names of the winners of the hat celebration. 

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“What a great way to spend the afternoon in Houston,” said Dr. Bob Sanborn, president and CEO of CHILDREN AT RISK. “Great food, old friends and new, and we raised needed monies to support the mission of Houston Food Bank and CHILDREN AT RISK.”

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Special thanks go to all sponsors, and lead sponsor AIG, for their sponsorship and support of more than $500,000 over the years.

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Guests: Deborah and David Roylance, Yvonne and John Wallace, Krista Frazier, Larry Wisniewski, Rhee and Marcus Decuir, Nidhi Verghese, Sandhya Ayyar, Pooja Mohan, Laura and Steve Jones, Tara Kelly, Rhonda Sigman, and Susannah and Chris Watt.

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About CHILDREN AT RISK

CHILDREN AT RISK is a nonprofit organization leading the way to improving the quality of life for Texas’ children through research, collaboration, and advocacy. CHILDREN AT RISK educates the community and public officials based on its groundbreaking research, which tracks children’s health, safety, education, and economic conditions. By understanding children’s needs and speaking out on their behalf, CHILDREN AT RISK drives change.

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About Houston Food Bank

Houston Food Bank is America’s largest food bank in distribution, leading hunger relief in 18 southeast Texas counties. Founded in 1982, the Houston Food Bank is a certified member of Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network, and has a four-star rating from Charity Navigator. The organization distributes fresh produce, meat, and non-perishable food items and prepares nutritious hot meals for kids in its new state-of-the-art Keegan Kitchen.