A MESSAGE FROM FOUNDATION PRESIDENT KEVIN HALL

Someone recently asked me to think of a single word that best describes how I feel about the past year. The word that immediately came to mind was gratitude. I don’t believe I have ever felt a greater sense of gratitude than I feel right now as I write this column. I simply cannot comprehend the level of support we received in 2022, allowing Grant Halliburton Foundation to continue to expand its impact across North Texas.

Many of you have heard me say this before, but I’ll say it one more time: I cannot believe how much we have grown and accomplished in the past year, all fueled by the generosity of so many. In 2022, we exceeded our revenue goal by over 40%, which allowed us to expand our programming to reach more young people with a greater depth of services. It speaks to the confidence you have in our work, and that makes our growing team incredibly proud.

My gratitude begins with our dedicated supporters, some who are new and some who have been with the Foundation for many years. I am delighted with not only the growth of our support base, but also the consistency of support, year after year. You will never know how meaningful and motivating this is to our entire team. It sends a message that you believe in our work and you know we are making a difference in the lives of young people. It takes a village, and we have hundreds of supporters who contribute their time, talent, and money to keep our mission growing and thriving.

My gratitude extends to the many foundations across North Texas who support our work. Many have supported us since our early years, and we connect with new foundations each year. Critical programs such as our Here For Texas Mental Health Navigation Line and our Thrive strategy would not be possible without the early funding provided by many of these partners. Recently, we launched a comprehensive Hispanic outreach program, thanks to a two-year grant commitment from United Healthcare. In the coming year, we expect to introduce an early elementary mental health initiative with additional funding support.

My gratitude goes out to our incredible board of directors, who provide skilled oversight and ongoing support of our programs. They truly are ambassadors for our work, and they constantly challenge us to be the best we can be. I’m proud that we were able to expand our Board in the past year, with the additions of Steve Noviello, Dr. Jaime Gonzalez, Dr. Chris Taylor, Veronica Torres Hazley and Dr. Pamela Fox. They bring a wealth of diverse experience and expertise to our organization.

I also must express my gratitude to the incredible team at Lyda Hill Philanthropies. We moved to Pegasus Park last April, and the move has greatly exceeded our expectations. Lyda Hill’s vision of collaboration amongst like-minded organizations is alive and well, and we could not be happier with our move. The positive associations and ongoing support from Lyda Hill’s team are extraordinary, and we are no doubt in the right place at the right time, well prepared for the challenges ahead.

And finally, my deepest gratitude extends to our wonderful team. When we moved to Pegasus Park, we had a team of 15, including three part-time staffers. Here we are, less than a year later, with a team of 20, including two part-time staff who converted to fulltime. Our team is collectively smart, passionate and committed to the cause. The reference to a family environment is often overused, but that is exactly what we have at Grant Halliburton Foundation—a group of people who care about each other and care deeply about our work. We talk quite often about how important our mission is and how proud we are for the commitment each of us has made to helping young people.

Your incredible support brings gratitude, and with gratitude comes happiness and hope. It is a wonderful place to be in life’s journey. Thank you for making it possible.