Fall 2018
Legacy Community Health Board of Directors Amanda Goodie-Roberts
I’ll Have What She’s Having Serves Up Health Care for Houston’s Female Restauranteurs
Chairperson
Alex Jessett Vice-Chairperson Beryl Basham Secretary
Naveen Pinglay Treasurer
Glenna Pierpont
At-Large / Executive Committee
Tony Bravo Beth Bruce George Burch Abigail Caudle, M.D. Victor Cordova, Jr. Richard Davidson Bryan Hlavinka Bethsheba Johnson Mariana Chavez Mac Gregor, M.D. Johnson Olatunji Marissa Taler Legacy Community Health Endowment Board of Directors Tripp Carter Chairperson
Brent N. Whiteley Vice-Chairperson
Bryan Hlavinka Secretary
Mike Holloman Treasurer
Michael Alexander Stephen Locke Melanie Gray
Board Member Emeritus
Melissa Mithoff
Board Member Emeritus
James A. Reeder, Jr. Board Member Emeritus
Monsour Taghdisi
Board Member Emeritus
Claire Cormier Thielke Board Member Emeritus
he nation’s food critics have finally acknowledged what we’ve known for years: Houston is one of America’s best restaurant cities. A host of talented chefs and restauranteurs have been serving up five-star food in the city for years, and this includes an increasing number of women who have made their mark on the Bayou City’s food scene. Unfortunately, this culinary success does not always equal the domestic security most of us take for granted. Even though they are some of the hardest working people in Houston, many in the hospitality industry don’t have reliable access to good health care. Working to fill that gap is I’ll Have What’s She’s Having (IHWSH), an organization of women in Houston’s food and beverage industry Members of I’ll Have What She’s Having toured Legacy’s Montrose clinic raising awareness and money for the health care after presenting a $20,000 check. The donation will cover the costs of needs of their co-workers and peers. And they’re well-women exams for IHWSH members. accomplishing this by doing what they do best: providing delicious culinary experiences for Houston’s foodies. Several times a year, dozens to spend all of that on health care.” About 40% of IHWSH’s of the city’s finest female chefs, sommeliers, beverage members don’t have health insurance, so Sowell and the coordinators, and hospitality volunteers come together to IHWSH team wants “people to know about insurance they create a pop-up restaurant menu that’s one-of-a-kind. To date, can afford so they can take care of themselves year round.” IHWSH has raised more than $200,000 for uninsured women “It’s important women have that insurance in case of in Houston’s food and beverage industry, $30,000 of which a serious medical condition or emergency,” says IHWSH was donated to Legacy Community Health to cover the costs founder Dr. Lori Choi, who’s married to the man behind of women’s health services. Houston’s Coltivare and Revival Market. “We need to talk about the fact that health care for Texas women is in dire straits. It shouldn’t be a controversial topic.” Erin Smith co-founded IHWSH and is an owner of Feges BBQ. “Right now there’s a lot of uncertainty about what is available for us,” she says. “We want our friends to know they can go to places like Legacy not only for their annual checkup, but for all of their health care needs. Once they understand the importance of that, we can dig deeper into longer-term health care options and insurance coverage.” “Many of us were already familiar with Legacy, so it’s an easy choice,” says Dearmond, who worked in the restaurant space formerly known as Underbelly right across the street from Legacy’s Erin Smith, Kris Sowell, Dr. Lori Choi, and Victoria Dearmond Montrose Clinic. “Once people make that initial courtesy of Dalton DeHart appointment, they find out they can get so much more all in one place. Industry workers can make an eye appointment, get their teeth cleaned, or take advantage “This job can be grueling,” says Victoria Dearmond, the of Legacy’s mental health services in the same building.” pastry director of Underbelly Hospitality. “It’s hard on your Partnering with I’ll Have What She’s Having is an easy emotions and your body. Many of us don’t have insurance choice for Legacy as well. Both organizations are working or know what our health care options are.” That’s echoed by toward a shared vision of connecting our communities to IHWSH beverage director Kris Sowell. “Bartenders may have health every day, in every way. cash in hand at the end of a good week, but they don’t want
Find out more at https://www.illhavewhatsheshaving.org/upcomingevents/.