PLACES TO GO Around the Neighborhood Pages 2-3
WEST SIDE STORIES Jill Skinner Page 4
INSIDE Great Futures Gala
INSIDE Settlement Home for Children
Page 7
RiverCity
VOLUME 38 ISSUE 12 - SINCE 1986
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WARM HEARTS AND HOLIDAY CHEER
Down Home Ranch’s Hot Cocoa Stroll Delights Community By Anne DeVries On December 13, Down Home Ranch (DHR), located in Elgin, Texas, held its annual Hot Cocoa Stroll. Attendees enjoyed a day of fun on the 410-acre working farm and residential community, which empowers individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live meaningful, purpose-driven lives. Founded in 1989, Down Home Ranch offers a supportive environment where individuals with cognitive disabilities find a sense of belonging and thrive through residential living, vocational training in areas such as the plant nursery and crafts, and enriching activities, including camps and events. Sales from the nursery, open monthly to
able for purchase. These pointhe community, and events settias, grown in the Ranch’s like the Hot Cocoa Stroll help nursery, serve as a vital sustain their programs. fundraising element, yielding Diana Daw, Director of 15,000 poinsettias annually. Development for DHR, was front and center at the Hot Co- Sales support the community’s programs, making the Christcoa Stroll, greeting guests and mas season an active time for ensuring the occasion flowed residents, staff, and volunteers. seamlessly. “It’s a privilege to Poinsettia sales also offer be here every day,” she shared. valuable fundraising opportuniThe event featured a $15 ties for numerous local commukeepsake mug for purchase, nity organizations. During the allowing sampling of delicious holiday season, various groups Rancher-crafted cocoa at variin the Austin area purchase the ous stops across their campus. high-quality poinsettias from The stroll featured s’mores, DHR at wholesale prices and recrafts, concessions, a bake sell them to support their own sale, a cake walk, and holiday initiatives. Volunteers and staff photography sessions. assist with tasks such as packA key highlight was the ing plants, ensuring they reach Holiday Plant and Poinsettia Sale, where vibrant poinsettias homes and offices, by personal delivery if requested. and other greenery were availCONTINUED ON PAGE 5
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WEST AUSTIN NEWS
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DEC. 18, 2025
Around the Neighborhood: opening
expanding
celebrating
Foxtail, billed as Your Everyday Groovy Neighborhood Escape, has opened at 7001 Burnet Road, and is open from 3 pm till midnight Sunday through Thursday and 1 am Friday and Saturday. Crafted cocktails, thoughtful bites, Foxtail style — an elevated yet approachable cocktail bar on vibey Burnet Rd. See foxtailaustin.com or 512-222-4406 4
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Jet’s Pizza opened at 7301 Burnet Rd in the same shopping center as Tumble 22, and offers a variety of crusts: Detroit style deep dish, hand tossed round, thin, New York style, seasoned cauliflower, and gluten free. And you can “flavorize” the crusts: garlic, butter, Cajun, romano, sesame seed. Buffalo Ranch Chicken, BLT, Aloha BBQ Chicken, All Meaty, and Ultimate Pepperoni sample a few of the trademark pizzas — or create your own. Salads, calzones, dipping sauces, everything you need — and a vegetarian menu as well. See jetspizza.com
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Wheatsville Coop announced it would not follow through on the purchase of two smaller grocery stores in near North Austin, and instead would operate just its South Austin store at 4001 S. Lamar Blvd when the 3101 Guadalupe store closes at the end of 2026. 2
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La La Land Kind Cafe will go into the old Stinson’s at 45th St and Burnet Rd early in 2026. Stinson’s at 4416 Burnet Rd closed several months ago. With locations in Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, and South Austin, this will be La La Land’s first Austin store north of the river. Offerings include a robust menu of coffee and chai drinks, including a Puppucino for your dog!, paninis, a raft of signature toasts, pastries, grab and go items, a kids’ menu, and breakfast sandwiches.
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Neon Belly Coffee and Bakery has opened at 8312 Burnet Rd, just north of Steck Ave with its small batch, big flavor, always fresh, c’mon in vibe. Lattes, matchas, local roasted coffees, drip, pour over, and a rotating playground of a bakery case, fresh, surprising — sourdough bites, biscotti, energy bites, quiche, cookies, lemon bars, jammy muffins, sweet or savory scones. At neonbellycoffee.com
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Tarrytown Lot Coming Soon Call for Details
3144 Above Stratford Place Sold Privately—List Price $22,500,000
Supercar / Tour Bus / Yacht Garage For Sale or Rent www.tateproperty.com/featured-listings
Mozart’s Coffee’s Festival of Lights runs through Jan. 8 with its light displays, food and drink booths, boat rides, water show, and holiday merriment. An Austin tradition at 2025 Lake Austin Blvd. Tickets at Mozartscoffee.com 6
3100 Pecos - Coming Soon Call for Details
2630 Exposition Blvd. Ste. 115 Austin, TX 78703 512.474.8283
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WEST AUSTIN NEWS
DEC. 18, 2025
3
WHERE I’M COMING FROM
Around the Neighborhood
7 Folklore Spa has opened at Camp Lucy, a luxury wine country getaway at 3509 Creek Road in Dripping Springs. Owners Kim and Whit Hanks offer a pre-soft opening through Jan 10. Schedule at 512-829-8005 with booking code FOLKLORETEAM and mention Whit’s name when you book for 50 percent off one spa treatment. Whit and Kim see this pre-soft opening as an opportunity to relax, unwind, and preview the spa as their team fine tunes every detail of their guest experience. See folklorespa.com
Bobby Jenkins
Francois et Bar Rouge has opened for dinner at 401 W. 3rd St with its French-American menu and side by side sophisticated cocktail bar. Open seven days from 5 pm with valet parking and reservations at Resy and 512-641-0355. See restaurantfrancois.com 8
2. What was your first job? I’ve really only had one job, and it’s been here with ABC. First responsibility was being a helper on a termite crew in San Antonio when I was in Junior High. I would crawl under the house and remove any wood debris that was left under there.
3. If you could have dinner with three people — dead or alive, at any time in history — who would they be? Jesus, Abraham Lincoln, Willie Mays 4. If you had to pick three musicians for a playlist, who would they be? Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Elton John. For country music it’s George Strait, Willie Nelson and Alan Jackson
Rosedale School, at 2117 W. 49th St just off Burnet Rd, is being sold to a developer whose plan is to build a six-story apartment building with a parking garage on the site. Rosedale neighborhood residents’ pushback on the OHT Partners’ plan includes no direct access to Burnet Rd for the development, increased noise in a quiet neighborhood, increased traffic in the normally peaceful area, and the danger of 500 to 700 cars from the development on the residential streets. If the development plan is approved, construction could start in 2027.
10 Terrazos Branch Library, at 1105 E. Cesar Chavez St, is the first library in Texas to house a Narcan vending machine, taking the machine that had been at Cenote’s across the street before it relocated to 7th Street. The machine is part of the N.I.C.E. Project to eliminate barriers to Narcan and overdose harm reduction supplies through vending machines
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President, ABC Home & Commercial Services
1. What’s something about you that not many people know? I’m a big fan of The Hallmark Channel. I particularly enjoy the ones set in New England in the Fall.
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BY FO R R E S T P R E EC E
5. Favorite book and TV show? For a business book it would be Traction by Gino Wickman. For a pleasure book it would be The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown For a TV show, it’s between Breaking Bad or Mad Men 6. Most powerful movie you have seen. The Godfather
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7. Favorite place in Austin? Favorite place in Austin is 1404 Ethridge. This happens to be our home for the past 33 years and I just love living in Central Austin. My wife and I have raised our three chil-
dren here and have remodeled about six times. I think we have it just right now. 8. Favorite restaurant and watering hole We have a list of our favorite restaurants, and we are definitely creatures of habit. For brunch, it’s Chez Zee, for lunch, it’s 34th St Cafe, and for dinner, it’s 68 degrees or Asti. 9. What did you want to be when you were growing up? Growing up I wanted to be what every Texas boy wanted to be, the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. And if that didn’t work, this gig at ABC was always my other dream job. 10. Which living person do you most admire? Admiral Bill McRaven, who is just an incredible leader and inspirational speaker. 11. What makes you happy? Nothing makes me happier than being with my grandchildren. Jan and I are incredibly blessed to have all eight live within one mile of us here in Austin. 12. Best advice you ever received? Hire for attitude, train for aptitude.
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WEST AUSTIN NEWS
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WESTSIDE
STORIES
Jill Skinner BY FO R R E S T P R E E C E
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t’s been way too long since I caught up with Jill Skinner. This brilliant, cheerful woman has lived an extraordinary life — and she’s still going strong.
Barely past her graduation from UT, she landed an internship with MCA Records and, six months later, became the executive assistant to Irving Azoff, Chairman of MCA Music Entertainment Group. Shortly after, Azoff left MCA to start Giant Records, a joint venture with Warner Brothers, and Jill went along. She held various positions at the new venture, working with acts such as The Eagles, Seal, and Christina Aguilera. While contemplating her next move, she spent time as Barbra Streisand’s personal assistant — a short stint with a lasting impression. Switching directions, Jill moved on to television where she became a writer and producer for Dr. Phil. “Producing a daytime talk show was intense — often seven days a week with some days 15 to 20 hours. It was a lot of pressure, but our team made every moment bearable. It was an incredible learning experience — pushing my personal boundaries of what I ever thought I could achieve,” Jill said. In 2007, Jill felt the pull to return to Austin, her hometown. With both parents in their 70s, and her sister raising two kids, she wanted to be close to family. This is when her nonprofit career began—landing a job as the Chief Program Officer for Make-A-Wish Central & South Texas. “Each wish felt like a mini-production. Creating unique experiences for
children with critical illnesses was an incredible way to utilize my background in the creative world and bring so much joy to those who needed it most,” she says. She also served as Chief Communications Officer and Major Gifts Officer during her 14-year tenure. Ready for a new challenge, Jill left to serve as executive director for Drive a Senior ATX. This nonprofit enables older adults to live independently, avoid social isolation, and age in place by providing transportation and support services. “What Drive a Senior does is so important — and with a rapidly aging population, it’s even more so now. I have met the most incredible people — our clients share stories of their lives, their contributions to society, and their gratitude for the services we provide.” Recently, Drive a Senior Austin, Senior Access, and Chariot, three mission-aligned agencies, have merged to form one united agency -- Drive a Senior. At the heart of the merger is the desire to serve a greater number of older adults across Central Texas and expand to reach those currently in unserved areas. “We have offices in Tarrytown and Round Rock, but we serve Travis, Williamson, and Hays counties,” Jill says. In a typical month, they do around 2000 rides and services. These rides can be crucial to their clients’ lives
Dec. 18, 2025 Volume 38 Issue 12
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— ensuring they can get to medical appointments, grocery stores, and other necessary destinations. Part of the Drive a Senior mission is to help their clients avoid social isolation. As Jill points out, in 2023 the US Surgeon General released a report stating that loneliness is an epidemic that has devastating health impacts, including increased risk of dementia, cardiovascular disease, depression, and longevity. For many of their clients, the selfless volunteers may be the only people they see that week. To help older adults stay connected to their community, Drive a Senior offers social outings, games days, and other ways to build relationships. Another critical service is the Friendly Caller Program, where volunteers make scheduled phone calls to check in with clients and offer companionship. In one instance, a 90-year-old client missed her usual call and didn’t return it by day’s end. Because a volunteer knew her routine, the team requested a wellness check through 311. The client had fallen and broken her hip and was unable to reach her phone. She was transported to a hospital, received treatment, and made a full recovery—highlighting how simple, consistent human connection can be truly lifesaving. Drive a Senior works closely with a wide network of community partners who also serve older adults, recognizing that no single organization can meet every need alone. Through these relationships, clients are often connected to additional services beyond transporta-
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tion—from home repairs and food assistance to healthcare and social support. This coordinated network of caring professionals understands the complex challenges many older adults face, particularly those with limited income, little or no family nearby, or difficulty navigating the challenges of
aging. Together, these partnerships ensure seniors receive more comprehensive, compassionate support that helps them remain safe, independent, and connected. Jill says, “During my short time at Drive a Senior, I’ve learned that it truly takes a community working together
to help seniors age with dignity and independence. It’s such an honor working with older adults who have helped shape our community and have led extraordinary lives. Overseeing this operation is so fulfilling. More and more of the population is getting older, and these services are crucial.”
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WEST AUSTIN NEWS
DEC. 18, 2025
5
DOWN HOME RANCH C O N T I N U E D F R O M PAG E 1
Enhancing the Ranch’s community connections is its 25-year partnership with Regents School of Austin. Regents 7th and 8th-grade students visit the Ranch twice a year. During their ministerium, they provide services that meet the needs of residents and the DHR community. Amy Gold, a 7th-grade teacher at Regents School of Austin, shared, “It is always a joy to take our students to DHR. While our goal is to help out the Ranch in any way we can, these trips are a valuable opportunity to instill a love for service in the hearts of our students. I think the kids are often surprised by how much fun they have while working and serving the residents and community of DHR.” The annual Hot Cocoa Stroll united the DHR community and its supporters for a joyful holiday outing. The
day stretched into the evening hours as they participated in the Bastrop Christmas Lighted Parade with a float designed and decorated by the DHR community in collaboration with Bastrop High School PALS. For more information about their seasonal pointsetta and monthly plant sales, as well as opportunities to volunteer or give to Down Home Ranch, visit downhomeranch. org.
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MAY YOUR HOLIDAY BE MERRY & YOUR NEW YEAR
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WEST AUSTIN NEWS
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DEC. 18, 2025
A Christmas Memory — Compiled by Forrest Preece
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Austin History Center Celebrates Grand Re-Opening By Forrest Preece The Austin History Center Association hosted a grand re-opening celebration for the Austin History Center, located at 800 Guadalupe St., on Sunday, Dec. 7. The reopening marks eight years of work to modernize and preserve the John Henry Faulk Library Building. This renovation is part of a $14.5 million investment that brings new publicly accessible exhibit spaces, programmatic opportunities, and vastly expanded capacity for archival collections to Austin’s civic history resource. The public ceremony in the Center’s lobby featured remarks from Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, Congressman Lloyd Doggett, and City Council Member Zo Qadri. The History Center’s Division Manager Jennifer Chenoweth, Austin History Center Association Executive Director Adam Powell, its Board President Charles Peveto, and others added comments. An open house followed the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Many longtime, prominent Austinites, including Peggy Pickle, Sinclair Black, Martha Hartzog, Charles Betts, Bruce Elfant, Sue Meller, Ted Siff, Matt Curtis, Jesse Sublett, Joe Bryson, Kathie Tovo, and Mary Kahle, were among the guests. AHCA Executive Director Adam Powell pointed out that
! " # $ % & ' $ & # the History Center sits at the center of a burgeoning historic district along Guadalupe St., stretching from the Heman Marion Sweatt Courthouse, through Wooldridge Square Park and the 1933 Library Building, to the Bremond Block to the south. He added that the Vision Plan being developed would bring this crown jewel district in downtown Austin to fruition. Judge Jan Patterson, a friend of the late John Henry Faulk, the namesake of the building that houses the History Center, added a special touch to the ceremony. She often walked along Lady Bird Lake with the renowned broadcast personality, listening to his reminiscences. In her speech, she recounted some of his sto-
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A NUTCRACKER REVELATION By Renée Gallagher, Investment Consultant
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P HO T O S B Y J U DA H R IC E ries, including his experiences during the McCarthy era, when he lost his CBS radio show and was later vindicated in court. Several members of the Faulk family were in attendance, including his widow, Liz. “Austinites today and those generations that are coming need our city’s history preserved. The expansion of the Austin History Center into the John Henry Faulk Library Building ensures that it will happen,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said. “The future of our dynamic international city is grounded in our history,” Congressman Lloyd Doggett said. “This newly renovated center expands our ability to keep Austin’s stories accessible, offering important context and insight as our city continues to grow and change.” As part of the announcement, the Association also named its honorary chairs for the upcoming “Lighting the Fuse Funding the Future” Angelina Eberly Luncheon, the nonprofit’s annual signature fundraiser, scheduled for February 26 at the historic Austin Club. This year’s honorary chairs are Dan Bullock, Annette Carlozzi, and Nico
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Ramsey, each selected for their leadership and contributions to Austin’s cultural and philanthropic life. This event is organized through the Association’s Eberly Committee, co-chaired by Board President Charles Peveto and Community Leader Dee Hall. The newly renovated Austin History Center is currently open to the public every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more about visiting the Austin History Center, visit their website at library.austintexas.gov/ahc.
I am the kind of person who is always prepared. I keep a list and check it twice. Nothing delights me more than having a plan, especially for a dance performance. So when, a few years ago, I decided to take my 85-year-old aunt to her very first ballet, Ballet Austin’s The Nutcracker, I was very prepared to fully guide her through her first Nutcracker experience. I knew the score. I knew which dancers were cast as the Snow Queen and King. I could hum my way through “Waltz of the Flowers.” I knew which dances would draw the most applause. I had parking, seating, and intermission timing down. I was, if nothing else, a prepared spectator. My aunt, on the other hand, arrived with a handbag full of peppermints (noisy wrappers — a big no-no) and zero expectations. She had never been to a ballet, never been to the Long Center, and had only a vague idea that the Nutcracker was anything
beyond a toy or decoration. From the moment the symphony began playing, she was enraptured. She gasped when Clara’s brother broke the Nutcracker. During the battle scene, she leaned in, whispering loudly, “Is that rat really fighting the toy soldier?” as if it weren’t choreography but a new drama series. She sighed during the Snow Queen and King’s pas de deux. It was marvelous! I found myself watching her just as much as the stage. Her eyes widened at the set changes, and there was a smile on her face with each pas de deux. She clapped before anyone else in the audience, utterly swept up in the magic of the moment. By the time the Sugar Plum Fairy made her entrance, I realized something: the real joy of the evening wasn’t knowing what came next — it was rediscovering surprise itself. So this Christmas, I’m adding a new note to my list: Leave room for wonder.
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WEST AUSTIN NEWS
DEC. 18, 2025
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Preservation Austin’s Grants Program Returns & !! ' () & * + & !! ), - & !! ' ' . / & 0
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Preservation Austin has announced the return of its Grants Program, which supports the preservation and interpretation of Austin’s historic places. Established in 2016, the program has awarded $239,530 to 60 preservation projects to date. Grants of up to $10,000 are available for projects within the Austin city limits. Submissions for the Winter 2026 Grants Cycle are now open and due January 15. “Preservation Austin’s Grants Program provides critical funding to projects large and small, from beloved legacy businesses to groundbreaking arts and education projects to privately-owned homes that contribute to Austin’s historic streetscapes and neighborhood fabric,” Lindsey Derrington, Preservation Austin’s Executive Director, said. “These investments are a true expression of our mission, and we’re excited to continue this important work.” As an example of past grants that helped a legendary local business, Cisco’s Restaurant Bakery & Bar received an $8,500 bricks-and-mortar award in January 2022 for electrical and plumbing repairs. “We are incredibly grateful for Preservation Austin and their grant program and hope that more historic buildings and legacy businesses are able
to access it as a resource. As Austin continues to grow rapidly, we have an increased responsibility as a city to preserve and nurture architecture and infrastructure that are culturally significant to our history,” Will Bridges, co-owner of Cisco’s, and Norma Chavez, one of the restaurant’s longest-standing employees, said. The Grants Program awards funding in three categories: Education, Bricks and Mortar, and Planning/ Historic Resource Survey/ Local Historic Designation. The organization offers two grant opportunities: biannually reviewed Matched Grants provide up to $10,000, and Rolling Grants, which are reviewed year-round. These offer up to $1,500 and do not require matched funding. The Matched Grant application deadlines are January 15 and June 15. Nonprofits, neighborhood groups, and owners of individual or proposed landmarks may apply. To learn more about the program and how to apply, visit preservationaustin.org. Preservation Austin paused the Grants Program in 2025 while completing its rehabilitation of the McFarland McBee House and finalizing its 2025-2026 Capital Campaign, which has raised nearly $3 million for the nonprofit to date.
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The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area (BGCAA) recently hosted its Great Futures Gala, bringing together more than 600 community leaders, supporters, and alumni to celebrate the organization’s impact on local youth and to reaffirm the urgent need for safe, supportive spaces for young people. The evening’s powerful message, “Austin Needs Club Kids, and Club Kids Needs Austin!” resonated throughout the event. A record $1.2 million was raised to support BGCAA’s out-of-school-time programs for thousands of Austin area youth. BGCAA CEO Zenae Campbell and 2026 Youth of the Year Dulce L. welcomed the crowd, with Campbell highlighting how investments in Club programs not only transform the lives of young people but also strengthen families and communities across Austin. Dulce shared his personal journey with BGCAA and the impact the Club has had on his life. “With encouragement from my Club Director, I discovered new interests, new goals, and a new belief in what’s possible,” he said. Board chair Mario Zambrano delivered a compelling and inspiring message titled “The Time is Now to Build the Future”, a clear call to action for guests to support BGCAA and invest in the next generation. “El momento es ahora. The time is now,” Zambrano said. “Let us dream boldly, and act generously, so that years from now, when our children stand on this stage, they too can say, ‘I am the living dream of the Boys and Girls Clubs.’” Austin City Manager and
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Club alumnus T.C. Broadnax shared his journey from Club kid to city leader, emphasizing how his experiences at the Club influenced his pursuit of civic leadership. “The Club taught me the importance of community, the power of service, and the value of lifting others up,” Broadnax said. “I saw firsthand how an organization could change lives, not just through words, but through modeled actions.” Another highlight of the evening was a moving vocal performance by up-and-coming talent and Club Member Jayde D. , who embodied the confidence and talent BGCAA nurtures within the Clubs. Her riveting rendition of “Rise Up” served as an inspiring anthem for the evening, underscoring the resilience and determination of BGCAA youth. Guests participated in an energetic live auction and paddle raise, helping BGCAA to exceed their fundraising goal to support its local youth programs. BGCAA is committed to ensuring every child in the Austin area has access to safe spaces, caring mentors, and life-changing experiences that inspire them to reach their full potential. Currently serving more than 12,000 youth ages 5-18 at twenty seven locations across Austin, BGCAA is Austin’s leading out-of-school time youth development organization. Operating since 1967, the organization provides high-quality programming focused on health and well-being, character and leadership, academic success, and life and workforce readiness. These high-impact programs lead to better school attendance, improved grades, higher graduation rates, and a better likelihood of attending college, empowering youth to create great futures. To learn more, visit bgcaustin.org.
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WEST AUSTIN NEWS
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DEC. 18, 2025
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WEST AUSTIN NEWS
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DEC. 18, 2025
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BINGO! Austin Women Score Big for the Center for Child Protection Nearly 1300 of Austin’s most influential women, some dressed in pink and feathers, others in colorful or fancy-dress attire, gathered for an afternoon of unbridled fun and spirited giving at this year’s 22nd Annual PlayBingo Ladies Luncheon. This lively, sold-out event, presented by Alpha School and hosted by Friends of the Christopher Guild, raised more than $1.45 million to support the Center for Child Protection’s mission to educate the community about the prevalence of child abuse and provide services to Travis County’s most vulnerable children. The ballroom of the Hilton Austin became party central for the upbeat celebration that included champagne, more than 150 silent auction packages, and, of course, the thrill of bingo! Every spin of the bingo
cage sparked squeals of excitement as guests eagerly awaited the next winning number. The unforgettable event was a perfect blend of fun and meaningful giving to support Austin’s most vulnerable children. KXAN’s Chief Meteorologist Nick Bannon returned as the dynamic emcee, keeping the afternoon animated. Austin icon and former KXAN Chief Meteorologist, Jim Spencer, who had hosted the event many times during his career, returned for an encore, delighting guests. For more than 30 years, the Austin Center for Child Protection has provided services to abused children and their families. Their vision is to end the cycle of abuse through advocacy, education, and community support. For more information, visit centerforchildprotection.org.
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Happy Holidays from theWest Austin News
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WEST AUSTIN NEWS
DEC. 18, 2025
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MJ&M Foundation Named 2025 Philanthropic Honoree by Helping Hand Home Each fall, Helping Hand Home for Children hosts its Champions for Children Luncheon to recognize and honor nonprofits, corporations, and individuals who are transforming the lives of children, helping them create a brighter future. Nearly 1,000 guests attended this year’s event, held at the JW Marriott in downtown Austin, which raised nearly $1 million. The 2025 Philanthropic Honoree of the Champions for Children Award was the Mack, Jack & McConaughey Foundation (MJ&M). Launched in 2013 by former University of Texas football coach Mack Brown, musician Jack Ingram, and actor Matthew McConaughey, MJ&M has contributed more than $78 million to support children’s education, health, and wellness by funding organizations that serve children. MJM’s annual fundraisers that combine entertainment, fashion, and philanthropy to bring the community together to support causes affecting children. Others honored for their commitment to empowering children included Dr. Robin Ward DelConte, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Rice University, and founder of Camp GEM; Jocelyn Chamra-Barrera, Executive and Clinical Director, Christi Center; and Alpha Xi Delta, University of Texas at Austin. The event was chaired by Ed Clements, Tina McCutchin, and Lindsey Sartain, and The Daytripper’s Chet Garner acted as emcee. Connie Britton, multiple Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated actress, served as this year’s keynote speaker. She is best known for her TV roles in Friday Night Lights, Nashville, and American Horror Story, and has appeared in many other TV shows and films, including Promising Young Woman and The Brothers McMullen.
Britton’s proudest role is being a mom. In 2011, she adopted her son from Ethiopia, an experience that strengthened her lifelong commitment to children and child welfare. She also serves as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Program and leads her production company, Deep Blue, which creates programming that tells stories to highlight resilience, uplift diverse voices, and reflect the power of community. Through these platforms, Britton advocates for children’s rights, promotes adoption, and supports global humanitarian causes.
For more than 130 years, Helping Hand Home has been providing healing to children who have experienced complex trauma. The Home’s mission is to bring hope and healing to children and families through a continuum of trauma-informed, therapeutic care including residential, foster, adoption and support programs. Thanks to community support, Helping Hand Home is able to fulfill its mission of healing the most vulnerable children and restoring them to healthy families. To support Helping Hand Home for Children, visit helpinghandhome.org.
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This is more than a place to live, it’s a place to come alive. Discover senior living that creates a space for you— with CARF-accredited supportive care if needed. SENIOR LIVING, LIVING,
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WEST AUSTIN NEWS
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DEC. 18, 2025
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Shine for Rise Celebrates Students, Rallies Community for Inclusive Education Almost 300 guests recently filled the Brazos Hall in downtown Austin for The Rise School of Austin’s Shine for Rise Gala. The joyful evening brought the community together to celebrate Rise students while raising critical funds to support its mission of providing inclusive early childhood education. Proceeds from the gala help maintain Rise’s low 4:1 student-teacher ratio, fund speech, occupational, physical, and music therapies, and ensure the program remains accessible to families throughout Austin.
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The Rise School provides a nurturing environment where children ages 12 months through pre-Kindergarten learn and grow together, regardless of their abilities. Classrooms are intentionally inclusive, with fifty percent neurotypical students and fifty percent students with developmental delays or disabilities, including Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, and autism. This balanced approach allows children to learn and grow together while receiving individualized education and therapeutic support needed for the best possible start.
The evening began with a lively cocktail hour and featured a world-class magic performance by Rudy Reynoso, one of the nation’s top corporate magicians and keynote speakers. Austin musician Matt Hoopengardner provided live entertainment, while guests enjoyed a wine-and-dine roulette game, photo booth, signature cocktails and mocktails, and a Purse & Clutch PopUp Shop. The Cowboy Auctioneers energized the crowd during an exciting live auction, complemented by a silent auction,
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both featuring an array of unique and luxurious items that inspired generous bidding. The program included moving videos celebrating Rise students and an inspiring speech from a Rise parent, who shared how the school’s mission has made a meaningful impact on her family. One of the most memorable moments of the night came when guests joined together to “Light Up the Room,” a symbolic gesture of support for inclusive, high-quality early
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childhood education for children of all abilities. The Rise School is committed to providing exceptional early education in a fully inclusive environment. With a dedicated team of early childhood and special education experts and a state-of-the-art facility, Rise prepares every child for kindergarten and beyond, helping them reach their full potential by fostering joy, confidence, and a love of learning. For more information on how to support The Rise School of Austin, visit www.riseschoolaustin.org.
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