Presbyterian Communities and Services Foundation announced the honorees of the 10th annual Each Moment Matters Luncheon, which will be held on October 3 at the Hilton Anatole. The honorees include (in alphabetical order): Jorge Baldor, Jim Farrell, Ruth Fitzgibbons, John Gallagher, Louis Harrell, Sabrina Harrison, Susannah Denney and Jeff Hensley, Chad Houser, Mary Kennedy, Mary Kimbrough, David Krause, Mylinh Luong, Daniel Roby, Rose-Mary Rumbley, Connie Scott and Lillian Bradford Smith.
“We are pleased to honor 16 of Dallas’ own community change agents, everyday heroes and philanthropic visionaries,” said Tim Mallad, CEO and president of Presbyterian Communities and Services. “These individuals often work tirelessly and anonymously in the community, exhibiting their faith and devotion by serving others and empowering, educating and giving hope to people of all ages.”
Each Moment Matters 2019 Honorees:
- Jorge Baldor: Baldor helped establish After8ToEducate, Mercado369 and the Latino Center for Leadership Development. In addition, he supports free SAT Math Prep classes to impact the lives of college-bound girls.
- Jim Farrell: Farrell is CFO of one of the largest full-service construction renovation companies in the southwest where in addition to his corporate role, he has led multiple philanthropic and service efforts. He has served on his church finance board, mentored business students at UTD and serves as president of his homeowners association.
- Ruth Fitzgibbons: Fitzgibbons has been a prominent leader in Dallas media and communications throughout her career. She started as a reporter, became editor-in-chief of D Magazine and ultimately was the founder of the award-winning public relations practice at The Richards Group where she served until her retirement in 2018. She recently led a team that helped open the first-of-its-kind collective impact center for homeless youth, the Fannie C. Harris Youth Center.
- John Gallagher: Gallagher is an elementary school teacher who volunteered to learn Cambodian when refugee families arrived in America in the 1980s. He helped the new students and their families get adjusted to their new lives in America, accompanying them on certain errands as a translator and assisting them with their taxes. He takes the time to create paths that help his students succeed.
- Louis Harrell: Harrell created a recovery center in South Dallas called “The Men of Nehemiah” for the homeless and formerly incarcerated men with addictive disorders.
- Sabrina Harrison: Harrison is the founder of Equipped by Faith, a faith-based community created to equip and inspire women through God’s word, personal testimony and a committed community. In addition, she is the CEO of Mint Dentistry and is responsible for The Keep Smiling Promise, which was developed to help veterans who suffered mouth and teeth injuries while serving, restoring their smiles at no cost. She also serves as an executive board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters and as a Youth Advisory Council member at the Potter’s House.
- Susannah Denney and Jeff Hensley: Denney and Hensley represent the Equest Hooves for Heroes organization, which brings hope and healing to veterans and their families through equestrian therapies, mental health counseling and peer-to-peer support. This program is offered at no cost to veterans.
- Chad Houser: Houser is the founder and CEO of Café Momentum, which provides a transformative experience through a 12-month, paid post-release internship program for young men and women coming out of juvenile facilities. They rotate through all aspects of the restaurant, focusing on life and social skills, coaching and development.
- Mary Kennedy: Kennedy is the seniors sales training manager of A&C Nestle Skin Health, Galderma Laboratories. She dedicates her time helping individuals served by various organizations. Her recent work is with the Children Skin Disease Foundation, and this summer she will join Operation Once-in-a-Lifetime, which benefits veterans.
- Mary Kimbrough: Kimbrough uses her background as a nutritional consultant to serve The Stewpot’s meal service program at the City of Dallas’ The Bridge Homeless Assistance Center. For several years, she has also recruited food service professionals to prepare and serve a meal at The Stewpot’s annual Woman’s Tea.
- David Krause: Krause spent 40 years serving as foundation president for three large Dallas-area nonprofit health systems, raising more than $300,000,000 for Baylor Health Care System, Children’s Medical Center, and Parkland Health and Hospital System. He also serves on the board of the International Bonhoeffer Society and the Advisory Council of Dallas’ Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center.
- Mylinh Luong: Luong is a Vietnamese American who escaped Vietnam and migrated to the U.S. in the 1970s. She is a founding member of the Orchid Giving Circle, a group of Asian-American women who pool their resources to grant money to nonprofits serving the Asian community in North Texas. Additionally, she serves as the lead for the Power of Self Scholarship Committee, which provides women with access to leadership development.
- Daniel Roby: Roby is actively involved in Austin Street Center providing meals and services for the homeless. He also serves on the board of directors for the Concilio, a nonprofit focused on educating parents about ways they can help themselves and their children.
- Rose-Mary Rumbley: Rumbley is the author of six books, including three humorous books about Dallas and a children’s book about Texas festivals. An octogenarian, she regularly performs three speaking engagements and book reviews a day. She led the drama department at Dallas Baptist University for 12 years, and today she teaches speech and drama to fourth graders at the Dallas Community School.
- Connie Scott: Scott serves as the executive assistant at Presbyterian Village North and is dedicated to serving the senior living community’s residents. For example, she demonstrated her commitment by staying overnight during ice and snowstorms to ensure that residents were safe, warm, and well fed. She also assisted with bringing in teammates who could not drive or take the bus due to weather shutdowns.
- Lillian Bradford Smith: Smith is the creator and founder of Retreat House Spirituality Center, a place for people to retreat from the world, to receive hospitality and to listen for God at work in the world so they can respond.
All proceeds raised by the Each Moment Matters Luncheon provide financial assistance directly to the Faith Presbyterian Hospice Caring Fund. The Caring Fund supports the Faith Difference therapies (which is comprised of several services like music therapy, massage therapy, pet therapy and others), the Child and Family Bereavement program and benevolent care.
The PC&S Foundation is calling on the public to help raise money by attending the luncheon, or by donating in honor of a loved one. The money raised will help support children and families who are going through challenging times, and it will add value and meaning to their lives.
To support the 10th annual Each Moment Matters Luncheon, please visit www.eachmomentmatters.org
Note to Media: If you are interested in covering this story or setting up interviews, please email Lauren Witt or Martha Cook at lwitt@thepointgroup.com or mcook@thepointgroup.com or call 214-378-7970, ext. 306/240.
ABOUT FAITH PRESBYTERIAN HOSPICE
Faith Presbyterian Hospice, a Presbyterian Communities and Services company, is the largest nonprofit hospice in Dallas. It provides programs and services to support a meaningful end-of-life journey. By integrating therapies, Faith Presbyterian Hospice provides care that improves patients’ quality of life while easing pain and addressing symptoms, allowing them to live the remainder of their lives as fully and comfortably as possible. Faith Presbyterian Hospice is nationally recognized for its innovative programs. For more information on Faith Presbyterian Hospice, please visit www.prescs.org.
ABOUT PRESBYTERIAN COMMUNITIES AND SERVICES
Presbyterian Communities and Services, located in Dallas, is a faith-based nonprofit organization comprised of U.S. News & World Report-recognized continuing care retirement community (CCRC) — Presbyterian Village North—and the leading hospice services of Faith Presbyterian Hospice. The organization fulfills its mission of empowering individuals to live their lives to the fullest by providing a standard for excellence, premier training, quality services and compassionate care. Presbyterian Communities and Services was established in 2008 to join the CCRC and hospice organization. For additional information, please visit www.prescs.org.
Photos Courtesy of Faith Presbyterian Hospice