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Donors and Friends,
We hope that you had a fun Summer and are enjoying the remaining four weeks until Fall. We are delighted to bring you this issue of Insights and to feature one of our donors and share highlights of the Foundation's recent activities.
We hope you will join us for one of our upcoming events. On September 10
th, we are hosting an exciting program on one of the preeminent issues facing our city- early childhood education. Scott McClelland and a tremendous panel of local experts and practitioners will join us for an engaging dialogue. We'll also tour an interactive brain exhibit. It promises to be an exciting morning!
Hoping to see you soon,
The GHCF Team
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A Q&A with Jimmy Erwin
President and Founder, The Will Erwin Headache Research Foundation
Why did you choose GHCF as a partner for your Foundation? And, how has having the GHCF as a partner helped you make a difference?
GHCF provided guidance in navigating the foundation space. They took the time to meet with us and counseled us on operational best practices. They handle all of our donations/gift receipting, grants out, accounting, bill paying, coordination of accountants/attorneys, assistance in filing tax returns, etc. They keep us in compliance and give us peace of mind.
GHCF is set up to take care of all aspects of our foundation's back-office and they have done an excellent job at helping us keep everything in proper order. In addition, they are always available to answer questions and provide guidance when needed.
As your work has progressed, what are you most excited about now, or as you look into the future?
We have made significant strides in the past couple of years. We have partnered with Memorial Hermann Mischer Neuroscience Institute at the Texas Medical Center (MNI) and McGovern Medical School at UTHealth to open the Will Erwin Headache Research Center, the first-of-its-kind national research center. We are excited about the progress we have made and will not stop until a cure is found.
Debilitating headaches affect 12% of the population and headaches are ranked the 7
th
highest cause of disability. As we look to the future, our hope is to bring an end to the pain by finding a cure for all debilitating headaches.
One aspect we are working towards in the future is to focus on the mental health of those who suffer and also to help counsel the affected families. Debilitating headaches don't just affect those suffering; they also impact the families. We are in the process of setting up a pilot program to offer family therapy to those suffering.
Being that you are the only center of this kind nationally, what hopes do you have for what it's to become?
Led by Mark Burish, M.D., Ph.D., our goal is to set up national collaborations, creating a network that can fight together, and eventually find a cure. Currently, the Center works collaboratively with researchers across the country to identify and enroll patients with intractable headaches and other rare conditions, such as cluster headaches, to better understand why these headaches occur and find interventions to help. Our hope is to end the pain once and for all.
Ideally, we hope to see the Texas Medical Center become the headache research capital of the world.
This is a global problem, and we are dedicated to expanding the Foundation to every corner of the United States, and then the world, so that everyone suffering from debilitating headaches can receive the attention and care they need. We will not be satisfied until a cure has been found for every type of debilitating headache.
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The official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Will Erwin Headache Research Center took place on Feb. 16. Pictured from left to right: Reynolds Lawnin, Brittany Erwin Lawnin, Jimmy Erwin, Pam Erwin, Robb Erwin, Dr. Mark Burish and Dr. Dong Kim.
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To learn about GHCF Foundation Services, please contact
Rebecca Hove or call 713-333-2245.
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UNDERSTANDING HOUSTON
Why does early education matter?
The scientific evidence is clear- engaged parenting and high quality early education make a lifelong difference in school outcomes and workforce readiness.
Please join us to tour the
world's most realistic inflatable brain exhibit
, hear the newest scientific evidence, and learn from the civic leaders and practitioners who are charting a new course for our city's youngest children. Speakers include those listed below and representatives from Legacy Community Health, Houston Public Library, Children's Museum of Houston, Collaborative for Children, Children at Risk, and the Herman H. Fleishman Foundation.
Saturday, September 10, 2016
8:30 AM Registration and Breakfast
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Program
Cooley University Life Center
7440 Cambridge Street | Houston, TX 77054
PRESENTERS
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Susan H. Landry, Ph.D.
Director & Founder
Children's Learning Institute
at UTHealth
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Scott McClelland
President
H-E-B Houston
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Veronica Chapa
Executive Director
Early Matters
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Julie Baker Finck, Ph.D.
President
Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation
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For more information, contact Rachel Young at
ryoung@ghcf.org or 713-333-2234.
Understanding Houston is an invitation only, non-solicitation program that introduces donors to innovative approaches, leaders, and organizations.
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SAVE THE DATE!
Greater Houston Community Foundation and the Kinder Institute Forum
Present
Richard Florida
Director, Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto, Clinical Research Professor, New York University and Co-Founder and Senior Editor, The Atlantic CityLab.
A public lecture on Richard's latest research on economic segregation. To learn more about RIchard, click
here
.
Museum of Fine Arts Houston Brown Auditorium
October 6, 2016 - 6:30 PM
Open to the public. Registration available in September.
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Greater Houston Storm Relief Fund
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GHCF is proud to have been asked to administer the Greater Houston Storm Relief Fund (the "Fund") established by Mayor Sylvester Turner in the days following the April 18
th
Tax Day Floods. The fund is focused on aiding storm victims through relief organizations in Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris and Montgomery counties. The funds raised are intended to supplement and fill some of the gaps in aid from federal and state sources.
"These dollars are going to stay in our community to help those who are still recovering from the floods," said Mayor Turner. "The federal government's disaster assistance doesn't cover all of the needs that are out there. Thanks to the generosity of neighbors who wanted to help their neighbors, we are able to fill in the gaps."
To date, eight organizations have received a total of almost $1.3 million dollars to provide case management services, utilizing the funds to meet basic but unmet immediate needs. Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Family Service Center at Houston and Harris County, Jewish Family Services, Houston Area Urban League, Katy Christian Ministries, Neighborhood Centers, Inc., Northwest Assistance Ministries, and The Furniture Bank all received critical money from the Fund.
The services provided by GHCF were donated without charge in order to further the impact of the donor contributions to the Fund. "We are grateful for the generous contributions to those impacted by these storms, and pleased to expedite and extend the recovery effort through our resources and expertise," stated Steve Maislin, President and CEO of GHCF. "Our thoughts continue to be with those affected by the floods, and we join the community in wishing them a full recovery."
GHCF is honored to partner with Mayor Turner's office and grateful for the generous spirit of our donors in times of need.
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Youth Philanthropy Connect (YPC)
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GHCF donor families made an exciting trip to join the 2016 Youth Philanthropy Connect International conference in Disneyland this month. Two GHCF teen leaders - Ashley Deutser and Alexis Elder - were a part of the national leadership team and presented their own workshop showing youth how they can share their time, talents, treasures, and ties for the causes they care about most. During the conference, Foundation Center launched
Youthgiving.org, which is tracking youth giving across the country. You can learn about youth philanthropy program across the globe and add your own family, school or group to the map if youth are involved in any kind of grant-making. All seven Houston attendees were inspired by the stories of youth-funding-youth and making a difference in their communities. Watch for more stories to come...
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| Alexis Elder & Ashley Deutser |
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| Anika Jackson, Siri Jackson, Jill Deutser, Brad Deutser, Ashley Deutser, Jennifer Touchet, Todd Elder, and Alexis Elder |
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Large Community Foundation Convening
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The Foundation was honored to host the Community Foundation & Donor Leadership: Creating Synergies convening in June. The meeting was planned by a committee of Foundations from Houston, Boston, San Francisco, and Atlanta and attracted senior leadership from 30 of the largest community foundations. The convening was a follow up to the release of a groundbreaking study that looks at the challenges, opportunities, and new approaches that community foundations are taking to find alignment across donor priorities and community foundation leadership.
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We are delighted to welcome four new staff members- Crystal Fleming, Allison Hale, Jordan Lauver, and Allison Sullivan. Learn more about them here and please join us in welcoming them to the team!
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Chronicle of Philanthropy Op-Ed Features GHCF Donor
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Molly Gochman, GHCF donor and Stardust Fund founder, co-wrote a compelling op-ed- How Foundations Can Help Use the Power of Sports to Shape Positive Behavior.
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Our goal is to inform and interest donors, clients and friends of the Foundation.
We invite your feedback.
Contact us
here
or through our website
.
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