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JUST IN: Children’s And UTSW Medical Center Announce Pogue Family’s $100M Gift For New Pediatric Campus
By Glenn Hunter Leave a Comment
Publicly announced, philanthropic gifts of $100 million are rare in North Texas. But when they do come along, UT Southwestern Medical Center is often involved on the receiving end. It happened again today, when Children’s Health and UT Southwestern announced a gift of $100 million from the family of Jean and the late Mack Pogue to support Children’s new $5 billion pediatric campus.
The gift is the biggest donation yet for the new project, which will replace the existing Children’s Medical Center Dallas with a 2 million-square-foot facility on 33 acres on the grounds of UT Southwestern. To recognize the Pogue family for its gift, the site’s 33 acres will be named Pogue Park and will feature sprawling green spaces designed to support healing in a natural environment.
“For four decades, the Pogue family’s generosity has been instrumental in our ability to deliver exceptional care …” Children’s Health President/CEO Christopher Durovich said in a statement. “Pogue Park will profoundly enhance the patient and family experience in our new Dallas pediatric campus, creating a respite reflective of our mission to make life better for children.”
Children’s and UT Southwestern said the Pogue gift is one of only four $100 million philanthropic gifts ever publicly announced in North Texas. Back in 2009, UT Southwestern was gifted $100 million by the late, former Texas Gov. William P. Clements Jr. In 2019, Southern Methodist University snagged $100 million from the Moody Foundation. And in 2022, UT Southwestern again received $100 million, this time from the O’Donnell Foundation.
Children’s Medical Center Foundation President Brent Christopher said conversations with Mack Pogue about the new pediatric hospital began more than two years ago. The family’s gift generates fundraising momentum for the facility in a “priceless” way, he added.
“We’re particularly grateful that Mack Pogue and the family were willing to make this commitment in advance of all the design work that is still underway,” Christopher said. “So he, in essence, made this gift on faith that everything was going to come together the right way for the hospital, because he knew how important it was to get started.”
Over the last four decades, the Pogues have given more than $200 million to Children’s Health and UT Southwestern, allowing the institutions to deliver top care while also conducting world-class scientific research. In a statement, UT Southwestern President Daniel Podolsky lauded Jean and Mack Pogue for their “remarkable foresight and philanthropy.”
Mack, who died this past January 30, was a Dallas real estate developer who partnered with fellow developer Trammell Crow in the 1960s to launch Lincoln Property Co. Lincoln, one of the nation’s biggest apartment-building companies, is well-known locally for its Village apartment community. It also developed Lincoln Centre and Ross Tower, as well as more than 200,000 apartments across the country.
At today’s announcement, a tip of the hat to the Pogues and their philanthropy came from Miguel Solis, who told the SRO crowd that despite being born in Port Arthur, he had moved to Dallas’ “Ellis Island” (aka The Village apartment complex).
Miguel’s adorable daughter Olivia Solis, it seems, had received life-saving care at Children’s, including a heart transplant, for a congenital heart defect. So, as Miguel put it, Children’s is more than a building — it’s a home for staffers and families.
It turned out that Jean’s wish of the day was to have her photo taken with Olivia. Of course, the youngster in a white dress sprinkled with red hearts was more than happy to oblige.
As Daniel, Christopher and Brent described the overwhelming support the Pogue family had provided over the years for the well-being of North Texas, Jean and her son Blair held hands.
Along with a shower of confetti and Children’s youngsters doing the great reveal of the $100 million donation, a number of faces in the crowd at today’s event can be seen at MySweetCharity Photo Gallery.
* Rendering provided by Children's Medical Center Foundation
Horse-Loving Patrons Were Updated About The Upcoming Equest Blue Ribbon Gala
Since Equest mini-ambassadors Dare and Ranger are old hands at welcoming guests to events, they looked right in place in the driveway of Kristy and Patrick Sands‘ home for the Equest Blue Ribbon Gala patron party on Thursday, April 4. Talk about horsepower on hooves and wheels!
One of those arriving as a passenger was Equest Women’s Auxiliary Founder Louise Griffeth. Instead of driving herself, she had to rely on daughter-in-law Annie Griffeth due to Louise’s recent wrist surgery, which made handling a steering wheel verboten. Louise was disappointed that due to a long-planned “girls cruise,” she wasn’t going to be able to attend the Equest Blue Ribbon Gala at the Hilton Anatole on Saturday, April 27.
Even Annie and husband Teal Griffeth were also going to be MIA due to Annie’s artwork being a part of the DIFFA Dallas “House Of DIFFA” fundraiser the same night.
Another mother-daughter team in attendance was Gala Co-Chair Melissa Oates and her mom Debbie Oates.
Melissa is a true horsewoman, with a stable that includes thoroughbreds and quarter horses. Does she ride wearing a helmet? Heck, yes! As she recalled, years ago an award-winning rider forgot her helmet as she walked her horse that spooked, throwing her head-first to the ground, resulting in her death.
Melissa is also a firm believer that horses should be outdoors as much as possible.
While guests like former Equest CEO/President Lili Kellogg, Melinda and Mark Knowles, Kristin and James Hallam gathered around the pool, Equest client Chloe Fousie bonded with the Sands’ pooch Lucy that had belonged to Kristy before she married Patrick. When asked if he had to get Lucy’s approval, Patrick laughed and said, “Yes.”
After a welcome and an update on plans for the Gala were provided by Melissa and her Co-Chair Calvert Collins Bratton, Equest Interim CEO Lisa Loy Laughlin emphasized the importance of the guests’ support of the Equest programs and its benefits.
Then Chloe’s folks, Matilda and Larry Fousie, recalled how when she first started going to Equest, she was tentative. But over time, she has remarkably come out of her shell is now an old hand at talking with staff members and looking forward to her time with the horses.
New Friends New Life New Group Leaders And Board Members And Leadership Announced
By Jeanne Prejean Leave a Comment
New Friends New Life Board Chair Jane A. Rose has announced the crew of people who will be joining the board and heading up the auxiliary boards.
Joining Jane and the current board members Adam Cannon, Erin Nealy Cox, Sherri Daniel, Dr. Cole Edmonson, Kelley Grayson, Laura Harris, Dr. Millicent Knight, Sarah K. Miller, Paulette Miniter, Cheryl Monroe, Christa Sanford, Elena Sacca Smith and Jessica Turner-Waugh will be new board members Fallyn Jones, Laura Nieto and Camelia Lopez Shoemaker, who will serve three-year terms with an optional second term.
According to Jane, “These dynamic leaders bring incredible new expertise and passion to the mission of New Friends New Life. Their commitment and leadership will be invaluable as we work collaboratively to not only empower and restore the live of trafficked and sexually exploited women and girls, but also as we bring the stigmatized issue of sex trafficking out of the shadows to educate the community on ways they can engage in the solution.”
In addition to Crys Kelly heading up the NFNL Life Circle of Friends is C. Davis Prescott, who is the new president of the Men’s Advocacy Group (MAG), which was organized in 2015 “to engage men in the fight against sex trafficking and exploitation.”
Established in 1998, New Friends New Life has a mission to “restore and empower trafficked and sexually exploited teen girls, women and their children and drive awareness of the issue and its prevalence.”
* Photo provided by New Friends New Life
Forest Forward Breaks Ground On Phase 1 With Shovels, Area Leaders And Unbridled Enthusiasm
By Jeanne Prejean Leave a Comment
Thanks to a crowd of area leaders like Matrice Ellis-Kirk, Senator Royce West, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and Dallas City Council Member Adam Bazaldua, South Dallas Concert Choir, the Lincoln High School Band and longtime advocates for Forest Forward, the enthusiasm for the groundbreaking on Thursday, April 4, for Phase 1 — the revival of the Forest Theater — was contagious. Forest Forward Founder/President/CEO Elizabeth Wattley‘s dedication and efforts had been inspired by her childhood in the South Dallas neighborhood that had resulted in the massive $75.215M program to revitalize the area. Here’s a report from the field:
The sun was shining on Sunny South Dallas on Thursday, April 4, and Elizabeth Wattley couldn’t stop smiling. The day had finally come – the groundbreaking of the historic Forest Theater in South Dallas.
Founder and president/CEO of the South Dallas nonprofit Forest Forward, Elizabeth was joined by board members, donors and supporters, elected officials from every government level, and longtime neighborhood leaders.
And after years of hard work and unrelenting fundraising by many unspoken heroes, the momentous event marked a fresh start for the 75-year-old iconic landmark, which in its heyday was known as a mecca of art, music and community gatherings where legends such as Tina Turner, Prince, Sidney Poitier, B.B. King and Jimi Hendrix captivated crowds.
The Forest Theater rehabilitation is Phase I of a massive $75.215 million revitalization program that will bring much-needed resources into the heart of zip code 75215. The vision is to re-establish the theater as a thriving neighborhood anchor and versatile arts center, creating cradle-to-college education pathways with Dallas ISD through the formation of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Arts Academy, and developing mixed-income housing surrounding the theater.
For Elizabeth, Forest Forward represents a personal passion. She grew up in Oak Cliff and spent many years as a child in South Dallas. Her father recalled his first “picture” at age 6 at the Forest Theater, and she’s repeatedly been told the stories of first dates, unforgettable concerts and memorable family outings. Her goal is to restore the neighborhood to the vibrancy it once knew.
The groundbreaking program included Forest Forward Board Chair Matrice Ellis-Kirk expressing her thanks to the many grass-roots voices in the community who helped form the dream and the leaders, lawmakers and philanthropists who played a role in bringing it to fruition.
There to offer congratulations and turn over the first shovels of ceremonial dirt were Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, Senator Royce West, State Representative Venton Jones, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, Council Member Adam Bazaldua and Amanda Vela representing Target, a top underwriter of the celebration.
In an afternoon of big moments, some stood out! The crowd cheered when a $1 million gift from Margot Perot and her family – made just days ago –was announced.
And Elizabeth thrilled the crowd, reporting that five MLK Arts Academy students – who are part of the school’s first 8th grade class – recently applied to Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Four were accepted and one is wait listed!
Another highlight was when Draven Romero, a sixth grader and aspiring actor who attends the MLK Arts Academy, eloquently expressed his appreciation.
The evening, which included a block party, was generously supported with major gifts from Target and HKS, along with key sponsorships from Linbeck Group and Con-Real Construction, Bank of Texas, WFAA, Comerica, State Fair of Texas, The Projects Group and Dallas Mavericks.
Elizabeth closed the program noting that the groundbreaking at the Forest Theater “symbolizes community partnership and collaboration at it’s very best – because when we come together to work toward a common vision, we are unstoppable.”
To make donations, volunteer, sign up for the newsletter and more, visit ForestForward.org.
* Photo credit: Ethan Yizong Xie
A Gentle Reminder: Mother’s Day Is Not Limited To Birth Moms
Today is the day when mothers and grandmothers are celebrated with brunches, cards, gifts and hugs. But there’s another group of women who rather dread this annual date.
For the ones who are unable to have children the old-fashioned way, this day can be a rather daunting one. Despite their best efforts and scientific developments, the results have ended up in futility and disappointment.
These women need to realize that there are babies being born who are entering a life in need of caring and direction.
Let us hope that on this Mother’s Day, the women in search of a child will open their arms, hearts and homes for youngsters in need of such havens of love.
*Photo credit: Skeeter Hagler
VNA’s 2024 Celebrity Chef Aaron “Ultimate BBQ Pitmaster” Franklin Was Smoking Hot
By Jeanne Prejean Leave a Comment
After years of culinary chefs holding court in the VNA with tours of the kitchen and presentations in the main room, its Celebrity Chef fundraiser went for a different feel — barbecue. On Thursday, April 4, longtime supporters found the difference from the moment they stepped … Read More...
Wings Of Spring Was Heads And Tails As Literacy Achieves Assesses Future Priorities
By Glenn Hunter Leave a Comment
Change has been afoot at Literacy Achieves, whose mission is teaching English and life skills to non-English-speaking adults and their young children. The 27-year-old non-profit quietly shuttered its West Dallas campus, for example, saying residents have been leaving the area due to a housing … Read More...
Easter In The Park Was A Mad Scramble For Eggs With The Pooch Parade’s Howling Competition
By Jeanne Prejean Leave a Comment
With more than 6,000 people on hand for Easter In Turtle Creek Park on Sunday, March 31, it appeared that every inch of the park’s 20 acres surrounding Arlington Hall was filled with families, friends and dogs. The free event, held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., was hosted by the Turtle Creek Park … Read More...
Family Gateway Is Shifting From A Lunch “Opportunity” To Dancing With “Denim And Diamonds”
Unlike years past, when Family Gateway held its Gateway to Opportunity featuring such speakers as former First Lady Laura Bush, her daughters Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush, Chris Gardner, Daymond John and Magic Johnson as the keynote speakers, the organization helping families affected by … Read More...
MySweetCharity Photo Gallery Alert: Easter In The Park
By Jeanne Prejean Leave a Comment
With more than 6,000 kids, adults, dogs and a couple of six-foot tall rabbits on hand, Turtle Creek Park looked like Easter Central on Sunday, March 31 for the Turtle Creek Park Conservancy's Easter in the Park. And there was something for everyone. Whether it was scrambling for eggs on the western … Read More...
Each Moment Matter’s Keynoter Christy Cashman To Share Her “Unbridled” Story Of Coping With Loss
By Jeanne Prejean Leave a Comment
Jane Seymour and Christy Cashman have a lot in common. Besides both being actresses, producers and writers, they both understand the process of coping with grief. Jane, who has been a part of the Forefront Living Foundation fundraising efforts in 2018 and 2021, also produced a 2014 … Read More...