Houston, Texas (Oct. 25, 2023) – Four hundred board members, donors, volunteers, staff, and advocates of Memorial Assistance Ministries (MAM) gathered to celebrate 40 years of building stable families, a dynamic workforce, and vibrant communities at its 10th annual luncheon, held at Lakeside Country Club on Thursday, Oct. 19. The milestone event raised $851,155, setting a new fundraising record for the organization, providing opportunities for training and education, financial empowerment, and social inclusion for Houston’s most vulnerable residents.
Co-chaired by Cindy and Buz Jochetz and Debbie and Jack Moore, the event honored Gregory V. Nelson, a respected attorney and chairman of the board for Houston Methodist Hospital, for his outstanding contributions to the Houston community and his steadfast support of MAM’s life-changing mission. Driven by purpose and dedicated to MAM’s goal of eradicating poverty, Nelson has played an instrumental role in shaping the nonprofit for the last 20 years, serving on the agency’s board of directors, volunteering, and getting his family involved. The event also recognized the contributions of its long-time volunteers, including Doris Bray, who has been part of the fabric of MAM since its inception 40 years ago.
“Having servant leaders such as Greg and volunteers like Doris, who are invested and actively participate in fulfilling our mission, allows us to help people transform every aspect of their lives,” said Sonja Gee, President and CEO of MAM. “We are proud to be a wellspring of hope, stability, and belonging, creating a space where we can all come together, live purposefully, and strengthen families and our community.”
Each year, MAM helps more than 12,000 families in the Houston area on the path to self-sufficiency. In the next 40 years, the nonprofit looks forward to impacting even more lives as it continues to enhance services and programs at each of its three Houston-area locations: Spring Branch, West Houston, and the Heights.
Those seen in the crowd included Dr. Marc L. Boom, CEO of Methodist Hospital System; Bishop Cynthia Ferrero Harvey of the Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church; Paula Walter, Bob Zorich, and David Underwood.
For a gallery of photos from the luncheon, visit here.