On MLK Day 2012, CFT trustees, staff and donors met at the North Texas Food Bank to fill backpacks for Food4Kids. Each Friday, the North Texas Food Bank sends food-filled backpacks home with about 12,000 students in more than 20 area school districts. The nutritious, kid-friendly products are sometimes all that child will have to eat until he or she returns to the classroom on Monday.
From left: Back row: Jim Bass, Kate Clifford, Laura Mitchell, Lauren Eshelmann,
Sarah Nelson, Mary Allison Hegi, Kate Hegi, Harold Montgomery, Judy Gibbs,
Hayes McManemin, Casey McManemin and J. Cook Front row: Todd Smith,
Monica Egert Smith, Wende Burton, Lisa Pearrow, Brent Christopher, Jennifer Clifford,
Jan Hegi, Fred Hegi, Jeanne Cox, Eli Minsky and Frank Risch
Judy Gibbs, Jeanne Cox, Monica Egert Smith and Tom Smith
Eli Minsky and grandfather Frank Risch
Educate Texas Leadership Forum
Educate Texas hosted its third annual Leadership Forum in February. Attending
were more than 200 individuals representing all facets of education—policymakers,
superintendents, business leaders, philanthropists and civil rights leaders.
The inaugural Educate Texas Trailblazer award was presented to
Phil Montgomery (second from left), a longtime supporter and champion
of the organization. John Fitzpatrick (left), executive director of
Educate Texas, Senator Florence Shapiro and Robert Scott, Texas
Commissioner of Education, each spoke of Phil’s impact on statewide education.
Vicki Phillips, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation director of education—college ready,
spoke to the Educate Texas Leadership Forum, presenting keynote
remarks that highlighted the foundation’s work in effective teaching and digital learning.
Big Thought
A $2 million grant from W.W. Caruth, Jr. Foundation to Big Thought is expanding and enhancing the Thriving Minds initiative, a coordinated system of comprehensive Out of School Time learning for DISD students.
SLANT 45: The North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee partnered with Big Thought to present SLANT 45, a historic youth service learning program. The program re-launched in September 2011 and by early December had nearly 3,400 North Texas youth participating in service learning projects across the region.
Thriving Minds Summer Camp: Dallas ISD middle school students got hands-on experience with stingrays while exploring aquatic ecosystems.
Kids Cafe: Big Thought, Dallas ISD and the North Texas Food Bank launched a Kids Cafe, serving students
in the Thriving Minds after-school program at Charles Rice Learning Center in April 2011.
SLANT kids ages 6–18 painted a large environmental-themed
mural on what once was a graffiti-tagged brick wall at the
West Dallas Community Center.
Thriving Minds Summer Camp at Dallas Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park.
Kids Cafe provides meals to 120 students three evenings a week.
Dallas AREA RAPE CRISIS CENTER (DARCC) OPENS
Co-founder Courtney Underwood Newsome, a rape survivor who launched DARCC after years of advocating for improved sexual assault services in Dallas County, emceed the opening event at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. DARCC and the Center for SAFE Healing address a top priority of Will Caruth—to see support for public safety initiatives keep pace with the city’s rapid growth. Mr. Caruth entrusted his charitable legacy to CFT in 1973.
Brent Christopher, DARCC co-founder Courtney Underwood Newsome,
Dallas Police Chief David Brown and Dallas County DA Craig Watkins
West Dallas Donors Learn About New Initiatives
In May, donors came to CFT to hear about the collaborative efforts of nonprofit
organizations working to revitalize West Dallas. Panelists included Monica Egert Smith
of CFT, Suzanne Griffin of Brother Bill’s Helping Hand, Trey Hill of Mercy Street,
Cyndy Lutz of Habitat for Humanity and Regina Nippert of The School Zone.
Monica Egert Smith, Regina Nippert, Cyndy Lutz, Trey Hill and Suzanne Griffin
EFNT MAkes It Easy To Do Good
Venturity Financial Partners, McGladrey, SevaYatra, Group Excellence and CFT teamed up to lay mulch for Youth Village Resources at the March Plug N’ Play.
Brennan Financial Services Food Drive: The two-week drive raised 1,025 lbs. of food to donate to families in need!
Contact EFNT to organize a drive for your company.
Herb Kelleher Van Presentation: EFNT is Along for the Ride!
At the 2011 Spirit of Entrepreneurship, EFNT made a philanthropic
call to action to the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association (SWAPA)
to honor Herb Kelleher, the airline’s founder and 2011 EFNT Ring
of Entrepreneur inductee. The initial goal was to raise enough
money to buy one handicap accessible van for the Ronald McDonald House, one of Herb’s favorite charities. The outpouring of support from SWAPA raised more than $100,000—enough to buy THREE vans!
Herb Kelleher, Pam Gerber and Steve Chase at van presentation
Excellemce In AP Arts and Music Theory Award Scholarship
Through CFT, the O’Donnell Foundation is pleased to sponsor an annual AP Arts and Music Theory
Award Scholarship to recognize four outstanding high school seniors who have participated or are currently participating in the Dallas-area AP Arts and Music Theory Incentive Program. This year, each recipient was awarded a $20,000 scholarship to the college or university of her choice.
Katie Wolf, Haley Beck, Amy Chyao and Camille Brewer pictured with Edith O’Donnell