Gala Honors Harvey Heroes and Raises $500,000 for Interfaith Ministries

1Arthur and Philamena Baird

2Arthur and Philamena Baird

3Jim McIngvale, Neil Bush, and Martin B. Cominsky

4Jim McIngvale, Neil Bush, and Martin B. Cominsky

5Meals on Wheels client Sylvia Gilbert and Mayor Sylvester Turner

6Meals on Wheels client Sylvia Gilbert and Mayor Sylvester Turner

7Neil Bush, Shaukat Zakaria, Mayor Sylvester Turner, Judge Ed Emmett, and Gene Wu

8Neil Bush, Shaukat Zakaria, Mayor Sylvester Turner, Judge Ed Emmett, and Gene Wu

9Sippi Khurana, Debbie Festari, and Brigitte Kalai

10Sippi Khurana, Debbie Festari, and Brigitte Kalai

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As we know all too well, the strength of a city is put to the test during a disaster. Through the devastation of Harvey, Houston’s grit, perseverance, and community spirit were revealed as a beacon of hope; last week, those at the center of that work were honored at Interfaith Ministries’ annual Tapestry Gala.

They included top elected officials Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, plus the city’s beloved Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale and four outstanding Interfaith Ministries volunteers from different divisions of the charity: Meals on Wheels, Refugee Services, Interfaith Relations & Community Partnerships, and Volunteer Houston. All were honored as “Heroes of Harvey,” and guests heard firsthand stories of extraordinary citizens and public servants helping the community through one of its most trying times.

Neil and Maria Bush served as honorary chairs of the gala, which raised more than $500,000 for Interfaith Ministries at the Hilton Americas on May 10. Representatives from presenting sponsor Shell Oil Company joined Turner, Emmett, McIngvale, Brigitte and Bashar Kalai, Sippi and Ajay Khurana, Nihala and Shaukat Zaria, the Zandstra family, Dr. Bimla and Swatantra Jain, the Subramanian family, and representatives from Frost Bank, CenterPoint Energy, and Valley, an Elior Company, and more.