“Movies With A Mission” Had All The Right Movies To The Tune Of $18,725 For Children’s Health

The Women’s Auxiliary of Children’s Health has a variety of fundraising programs like the Boo Yard Sign Challenge, A Season Of Giving, Deck The Halls Wreath, Family Night At Six Flags and Breakfast With Santa, to mention a few.

But one of the offshoots of the Auxiliary is Movies With A Mission that was created by Ursuline Academy’s Ella Kate Nayfa and Jesuit Preparatory School of Dallas’ Barrett Gibbins, who decided to tap into the movies during the holiday season.

Supporting the start-up plan, AMC NorthPark 15 opened one of its theaters for a screening of “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” during 2021 with a full house of youngsters partying to the tune of $10,000 for Children’s Health.

It was such an impressive undertaking that Ella Kate, Barrett and AMC NorthPark 15 decided to expand the event in 2022, resulting in a committee of nearly 100 area teens representing 20 public and private schools and three movies (Disney’s “Stranger World,” “Polar Express” and Disney’s “Avatar: The Way of Water”).

They also arranged for Children’s Health patients and their families to have “the opportunity to enjoy special screenings in their own private theatre” sponsored by A Fairy Tale To Remember and children’s book author Emberli Pridham.

As Ella Kate and Barrett explained, “With the passion for film, Movies With A Mission is a way to bring friends together to enjoy a movie, while making a difference for teens in treatment at Children’s Health. We are thankful for our AMC NorthPark 15 sponsor for their continued support to give us the opportunity to give back to our community.”

As a result, Ella Kate and Barrett not only presented a check for $18,725 for Children’s, they’re already working with AMC for the 2023 fundraiser this holiday season.

According to Children’s Medical Center Foundation External Relations VP Holly Hassmann, “Community support is more important than ever as Children’s Health continues to carry out our mission to make life better for children. We are excited to embark on a new tradition with AMC NorthPark 15 and the  Women’s Auxiliary that creates a platform for your philanthropists to make a difference in the lives of the patients and families that we serve.”

Joining Ella Kate and Barrett in making this year’s event possible are committee members Zoe Adams, Anna Albert, Ausley Albert, Thomas Andrews, Christina Antoon, Braxton Barber, Babe Bardin, Alex Barr, Hollis Bennett, Estelle Bines, Nile Cail, Keegan Coffman, Oliver Collins, Sawyer Collins, Aislin Cullen, Ivy Daniel, Andrea Ditchman, Noah Drennan, Dylan Drennan, Mia Edmonds, Justin Fern, Patrick Gagliardi, Jackson Galante, Grayson Gibbins, Merah Gonzalez, Jackson Gregg, Judson Gunby, Gionni Gutierrez, Kendall Hall, Sofie Hubach, Luke Hutcheson, Mack Idoux, Ethan Irrobali, Paddy Jacquart, Tessa Jahn, Lane Reed Jansen, Beau Johnson, Landry Johnson, Fifi Jones, Charlotte Kimble, Landry King, Avery King, Tanner Krug, Luke Lary, Luke Lawson, Remy Linderman, Chloe Linderman, Lily Loveless, Ashtyn Lowe, Kylie McLeod, Hatcher McMahan, Gray Miller, Andrea Mills, Teige Mitchell, Molly Mitchell, Davis Montgomery, Caroline Moore, Riley Morrison, Will Morrison, Reagan Moussa, Meagan Moussa, Sarah Munir, McKinley Nelson, Linley Niemiec, Garcelyn Nix, Ben Norman, Joe Norman, Ciera Osuji, Paige Randall, Jack Travis, Katherine Ramirez, Paige Randall, Maxwell Reichstadt, Madison Riley, John Field Scovell, Harper Ann Sharp, Harper Sherrard, Sophie Shuck, Marshall Sorokwasz, Kingston Stephens, Scarlett Stevens, Jack Stevens, Caroline Stewart, Dash Stodghill, Zoe Taraszki, Jack Travis, Sofia Vaca, Logan Vafa, Andres Veloz, Andrew Wilhite, Justin Whitman, Maggie Whitson, Ellie Williams, Legend Williams, Cole Wombacher, Ethan Yau, Evelyn Yau, Lucy Yau and Lauren Zulick.

* Graphic/photo provided by Movies With A Mission