Category: fundraisers

Texas Food & Wine Alliance holiday auction

Texas Food & Wine Alliance rings in holidays with blowout Taste of Texas fundraiser. Photo: Texas Food & Wine Alliance

Romantic Texas getaways, once-in-a-lifetime epicurean experiences, and gourmet gift baskets are up for grabs Monday, November 22 through Tuesday, December 14 when the Texas Food & Wine Alliance (TFWA) hosts the Taste of Texas Auction. The distinctive fundraiser, now in its second year, will support the organization’s statewide culinary grant and educational programs. (Texas Food & Wine Alliance, 2021)

What better way to support local food systems than bidding on irresistible packages tailored for wine lovers, cocktail fans, and foodies? The curated lots cover a wide variety of options suitable for holiday gifting, sharing with friends, or surprising a significant other. 

Bidding began at 12 noon, November 22 and ends at midnight, December 14. A “buy now” option is available to give supporters the immediate option to purchase. New items will be added throughout the auction as lots sell out.

Highlights of the Taste of Texas Auction include:

  • A swinging golf adventure at Horseshoe Bay Resort featuring a one-night stay, a round of golf for two, and a $100 resort credit.
  • A Franklin Barbecue party for ten featuring a branded Franklin Yeti cooler stuffed with a whole smoked brisket, five sausage links, and one bottle of Texas barbecue sauce.
  • A romantic Hill Country getaway at Fredericksburg’s Hoffman Haus luxury bed and breakfast with a $100 gift card to La Bergerie and a $150 gift card to Otto’s German Bistro.
  • A three-hour sunset cruise from Float On Boat Rentals stocked with two cases of Lone Star Rio Jade Mexican-style lager and a Yeti Roadie cooler.
  • A sweetheart Commodore Perry Estate experience featuring a one-night stay at the private retreat, complimentary Champagne, dinner for two at Lutie’s, and an intimate breakfast.
  • A VIP tasting for six at Southold Wine & Cellars with winemaker Reagan Meador.
  • A dinner for ten at San Antonio’s acclaimed Mixtli with wine pairings.

The Taste of Texas auction is boosted by the support of ABC Bank, whose contribution allowed the Alliance to aid Texas restaurants and bars. In addition, the auction was supported by BookPeople, Ken and Gina Burchenal, Casero, C.L Butaud Wines, Commodore Perry Estate, Drink. Well, Jessica Dupuy, Float On Boat Rentals, Fonda San Miguel, Franklin Barbecue, Kendra Scott, Lone Star Beer, Mixtli, Monger’s Market + Kitchen, Qi, Side Street Hospitality, Skurnik Wines, Spillers Honey Bees, Southold Cellars, Cathy Strange, Tom Sunstrom and Virginia Greenway, Texas Fine Wine, TLC, Two Hives Honey, Wicked Foods, William Chris Vineyards, and Your Hearts Desire.

The Texas Food & Wine Alliance is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering awareness, support, and innovation in the Texas culinary community through grants, educational programming, and events. Guided by an all-volunteer board of directors and committees made up of culinary-and-community-minded professionals, the Alliance’s commitment is to promote Texas food, wine, spirits, and craft brews and to increase appreciation of Texas’ culinary impact. The Texas Food & Wine Alliance serves as the umbrella organization overseeing the Austin Food & Wine Alliance, the San Antonio Food & Wine Alliance, the Dallas Food & Wine Alliance, and the Houston Food & Wine Alliance.

Photo: Texas Food & Wine Alliance, used with permission.

Agarita presents ‘Postcards from the Border’ at UT Health San Antonio

Agarita presents a free live performance to benefit Refugee Health Clinic. Photo: Agarita

Join us for another FREE live performance of “Postcards from the Border” on Monday November 22 at 6p.m. featuring Agarita. Presented by UT Health San Antonio, donations from this concert will directly benefit the Refugee Health Clinic, which addresses the social and health needs of over 4,000+ immigrant refugees living in northwest San Antonio. (Agarita, 2021)

Inspired to tell a more genuine story of our Texas border with Mexico, photographer Joel Salcido and writer Oscar Cásares traveled the length of the Rio Grande River, resulting in the series “Postcards From The Border,” which appeared last year in Texas Monthly. Agarita will pair music to these beautiful and poignant images, narrated by Oscar Cásares.

Featuring music by Ravel, Guastavino, Paul Wiancko, Biber, and Liszt.

This program is bilingual. Masks are required.

UTHSC Holly Auditorium
7703 Floyd Curl Drive
San Antonio, TX 78229

This event is FREE and open to the public. To register for your free seat, CLICK HERE.

To support the Refugee Health Clinic, you can donate HERE or text “ETHICS” to 91999.

An innovative chamber ensemble dedicated to producing bold, collaborative musical events, Agarita offers a new way to experience classical and contemporary music. Rooted in San Antonio and founded by Daniel Anastasio (piano), Marisa Bushman (viola), Ignacio Gallego (cello), and Sarah Silver Manzke (violin), Agarita nourishes the local community through artistic collaborations, community engagement and free, adventurous programming. With concise, eclectic performances that are “splendid – unified, spirited, [and] well prepared” (Greenberg, Incident Light), the young chamber group offers a new, open-armed experience for listeners. 

Agarita was recently named San Antonio Magazine’s Best of the City 2021: Culture winner for its collaboration with area partners. It works intimately with local artists of various genres to weave cross-artistic narratives for each concert. Agarita’s past collaborations have included the McNay Art Museum’s Pop América exhibit, lighting artist Chuck Drew, Cameron Beauchamp from the Grammy Award-winning vocal group Roomful of Teeth, chef Elizabeth Johnson and Pharm Table restaurant, poet Laura Van Prooyen, sculptor Danville Chadbourne, educational arts institution SAY Sí and the Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival for a concert inside San Antonio’s historic Mission San José.

As a nonprofit organization, Agarita believes that the arts should be accessible to everyone in the community. Agarita presents free public concerts, performs at local schools, and offers opportunities for other artists through its collaborations.

Texas Food & Wine Alliance celebrating the holidays with curated Texas gift sets

Texas Food & Wine Alliance partners with LifeWorks Restaurant Groups to bring delicious joy to the holidays with curated Texas gift sets by local artisans. Photo: Texas Food & Wine Alliance, used with permission.

As a unique fundraiser, the Texas Food & Wine Alliance (TFWA) announces the nationwide release of curated holiday gift sets so foodies everywhere can get a taste of Texas. Brimming with gourmet snacks, the boxes are the perfect surprise for friends, family, or anyone else in need of holiday cheer. They are also sure to delight Texas expats looking for a taste of home. (Texas Food & Wine Alliance, 2021)

In collaboration with Munch Mail, the foodie gift boxes are available in two sizes to accommodate most holiday shoppers’ budgets. Ideal for corporate giving, the Texas Treats box ($59) includes an indulgent sampling of sweets and savories. The Ultimate Texas Treats box ($99) ups the ante with additional unique artisan treats. Orders can be placed through Munch Mail and shipped throughout the United States.

A percentage of the profits will benefit TFWA to help the nonprofit continue its mission of supporting Texas food communities through its culinary innovation grants and educational programs.

The boxes include delicacies from some of the Lone Star State’s most celebrated small-batch producers. James Beard Award-nominated Chef Anita Jaisinghani of Houston’s Pondicheri impresses with a seven-ounce Bombay snack mix while sustainable San Antonio artisan Tatemada brings the heat with a six-pack of mini salsas. Austin farmers’ market favorite The Sourdough Project contributes a six-ounce box of cold-fermented sea salt crackers, perfect for pairing with saucissson d’Alsace from Wimberley charcuterie experts Visca Charcuteria — available only in the Ultimate box.

Those with a sweet tooth will beam at the Loco for Coco bar from award-winning Dallas chocolatier Dude, Sweet Chocolate and a five-ounce bag of honey almond granola from cottage East Dallas bakery Hippos & Hashbrowns. Ultimate Texas Treats gift recipients can look forward to waking up with an 11-ounce serving of granola drizzled with a three-ounce jar of honey from Austin micro-producer and two-time Alliance grant winner Two Hives Honey.

These delectable holiday boxes are part of a new partnership between TFWA and Munch Mail’s parent company LifeWorks Restaurant Group, an organization that cares deeply about where food comes from, how it is prepared, and the impact it has on the community. From locally sourced products to scratch-made entrees, LifeWorks’ teams build food stories and share them with passion and transparency. The Alliance is proud to work with a company dedicated to working with local farmers, ranchers, CSAs, and small businesses while investing back into the community to make us all better together.

“We are thrilled to work with Munch Mail in bringing cheer to the holiday table. LifeWorks enhances our mission and understands the value of uplifting local food systems.” – Gina Burchenal, Interim Executive Director of the Texas Food & Wine Alliance.

“As we kick off our partnership with the TFWA, we are thrilled to support the Texas culinary community by partnering with them on these unique, curated holiday boxes. We look forward to many more initiatives with the alliance that will foster awareness and support local talent.” – Prentiss Hall, founder and CEO of LifeWorks Restaurant Group.

The Texas Food & Wine Alliance is a 501(c)3nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering awareness, support, and innovation in the Texas culinary community through grants, educational programming, and events. Guided by an all-volunteer board of directors and committees made up of culinary-and-community-minded professionals, the Alliance’s commitment is to promote Texas food, wine, spirits, and craft brews and to increase appreciation of Texas’ culinary impact. The Texas Food & Wine Alliance serves as the umbrella organization overseeing the Austin Food & Wine Alliance, the San Antonio Food & Wine Alliance, the Dallas Food & Wine Alliance, and the Houston Food & Wine Alliance.

LifeWorks Restaurant Group, an independently operated division of Aramark, designs custom solutions for clients looking to take amenities to the next level. Our team of forward-thinkers look at each opportunity as an experience—not a requirement—and deliver out-of-this world, truly sensory experiences, feeding your company culture.

Teddy Bear Brunch at Signature Restaurant to benefit Children’s Bereavement Center

One hundred percent of the proceeds of the Teddy Bear Brunch will go to the Children’s Bereavement Center. Photo: La Cantera Resort & Spa, used with permission.

In observance of Children’s Grief Awareness Month, La Cantera Resort & Spa is hosting the ultimate Teddy Bear Brunch experience at Signature Restaurant at La Cantera Resort & Spa on Saturday November 13 from 10a.m. to 2p.m., reservations required. Benefitting Children’s Bereavement Center, this brunch aims to educate, advocate and raise awareness about the needs of grieving children, teens, and their families by focusing on the good works of Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas. (La Cantera Resort & Spa, 2021)

For most children and adults, the Teddy Bear is a symbol of love and security, a source of comfort when they sleep and a form of protection when they are awake and feeling vulnerable. Build-A-Bear Foundation has donated 100 Teddy Bears to the Children’s Bereavement Center via the Teddy Bear Brunch. La Cantera is hoping to match that gift by asking guests to bring a brand-new Teddy Bear for donation to the Center.

Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas is so much more than a place where grieving children go to heal; it is a place of transformation. The Center serves thousands of children, caregivers, and community members through ongoing counseling, education, and support groups provided at no cost to the children and families served. Because Teddy Bears are an important part of the mission at Children’s Bereavement Center, every child starts their journey at the Center with a bear, to remind them that they are not alone in their journey through grief.

The Resort’s goal is to collect 100 Teddy Bears matching the Build-A-Bear Foundation donation for a total of 200 bears for the Center’s Holiday gift exchange with the children they serve.

One hundred percent of proceeds from the Teddy Bear Brunch will benefit Children’s Bereavement Center. Tickets are $75 for adults, $45 for children, please call Signature 210-247-0176, Tuesday through Sunday after 1p.m. to make reservations.

Oxtail Mash Up returns to Project Row Houses

Oxtail Mash Up will benefit the community while enriching cultural identity. Photo: Oxtail Mash Up, used with permission.

Oxtail Mash Up, Houston’s coveted culinary mash is back and this year there will be a boozy twist and big national names. On Sunday, November 14 Houston chefs and prized bartenders will come together for a ‘mash up’ of food, drink, art, and music in celebration of the culinary diversity of oxtail and the playfulness of punch. This spirited competition of both food and drink will take place in the lush garden of Project Row Houses, where resident artists will exhibit in the venerable open studios aimed at “encouraging artists to extend their practice outside of the studio into the social context.” Not only are event attendees invited to drink, dine, and dance, but also to step into each exhibit being fully encapsulated by the power of both culinary and resident art. (Oxtail Mashup, 2021)

A percentage of proceeds raised throughout the evening will benefit Project Row Houses and Texas’ Children’s Sickle Cell Anemia programs throughout Houston. Under the glow of Project Row Houses, chefs and bartenders will go head-to-head in two inventive competitions where both judges and attendees crown the evening’s winners.

The Oxtail Mash Up is a culinary competition that brings together some of the industries’ favorite chefs, bartenders, and DJs for an evening of food and drink all for charity. Founded in 2017, this spirited competition is the brainchild of Shakti Baum and partner Warren Luckett, and held in the lush garden of Project Row Houses. The event brings awareness to Texas Children’s Sickle Cell Anemia program and its effects on the African American Community.

Oxtail Mashup welcomes the local-supporting community to gather at Project Row Houses from 6p.m. – 10p.m. on Sunday, November 14, 2021 for an evening tasting event filled with luscious chef-prepared oxtail, custom-crafted punches, black-owned/black-crafted wines, Houston craft beer, and more. Project Row Houses installations will be open and DJ Melodic will be spinning for the season’ premiere evening experience.

EAT: Fourteen chefs will pull from their diverse roots as well as gastronomic inspirations in a challenge to create stellar oxtail creations. Each chef will battle it out for smack-talking rights (people’s choice wins $500) as well as a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico (judges choice).

DRINK: Five bartenders will set the mode onto ‘Island Time’ as they work with previously selected spirits and locally sourced ingredients to craft Tiki-inspired punches. Attendees will crown the best barkeep of the night while our panel of experts selects their own winner for a grand prize of $500 cash. To bring the heat, Oxtail Mashup cofounders – chef, instructor, and event creator Shakti Baum and Black Restaurant Week Founder Warren Luckett – have invited Houston food and drink stars to battle against nationally recognized names. With each chef and bar star a master of their craft and leaders within the industry.

2021 OXTAIL MASHUP CHEFS
● Andre Burns – Burns BBQ (Houston, TX)
● Andremica Braggs – One Feisty Chef (Houston, TX)
● Curtis Evans – EMI Dinner Series / Everybody Eats Philly (Philadelphia, PA)
● Don Bowie – Taste Bar / Rare HTX (Houston, TX)
● Javani King – JKO Kitchen (Houston, TX and Oxtail Mashup 2018 winner)
● Jonny Rhodes – Broham Soul Food and Grocery / Restaurant Indigo (Houston, TX)
● Mark Clayton – Squable (Houston, TX)
● Nicola Blaque – The Jerk Shack / Mi Roti (San Antonio, TX)
● Ossume Collins – KISS (Houston, TX)
● Rishi Singh – Hotel Derek (Houston, TX)
● Robert Butts – Twisted Soul Cookhouse + Pours (Atlanta, GA) (additional chefs to be announced in the coming weeks)

2021 OXTAIL MASH UP BARTENDERS
● Ryan Perry – Rabbit Got the Gun (Houston, TX)
● Jamal Rashad – Slush (Atlanta, GA) (additional bartenders to be announced in the coming weeks)

VIP Event tickets cost $135 and include admission and early entry into the Third Annual Oxtail Mashup event, unlimited sampling of all chef-prepared bites, complimentary cocktails + Hot Toddy Bar (must be 21 or over to consume alcoholic beverages), entry into all Project Row Houses installations, and one parking pass.

General Admission event tickets cost $75 and include admission into the Third Annual Oxtail Mashup event, one sample of each chef-prepared bite, five cocktail tickets + Hot Toddy Bar (must be 21 or over to consume alcoholic beverages, and entry into all Project Row Houses installations).

Project Row Houses is a community platform that enriches lives through art with an emphasis on cultural identity and its impact on the urban landscape. We engage neighbors, artists, and enterprises in collective creative action to help materialize sustainable opportunities in marginalized communities.

La Panadería launching limited-time pink conchas for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The Pink Conchas will be available for the month of October and $1 from each Pink Concha sold will benefit the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation. Photo: La Panadería, used with permission.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, La Panadería is introducing a limited-time Pink Concha for the month of October. The Pink Concha will be available at all three locations from October 1 – 31, 2021 for $3.50, and $1.00 from each Pink Concha sold will go directly to the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation. Owners José and David Càceres created the initiative to honor their late mother. (La Panadería, 2021)

“This is a cause very near and dear to our hearts. Our mother is the one who instilled a love of baking within us, so what better way to honor her legacy than by donating proceeds from our Pink Concha to the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation?” –  Jose Cáceres, co-founder of La Panadería.

The Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit (501c3) advocacy organization made up almost entirely of breast cancer survivors. Their mission is to end breast cancer by assisting patients, informing health professionals and policymakers, and expanding knowledge through education and community outreach. Donations help ABCF provide free screening mammograms, education and support services to women & men in need.

To purchase Pink Conchas, visit any of La Panadería’s three locations or order online.

Hoping to share their Mexican heritage with citizens in the U.S., José and David Cáceres opened La Panadería in San Antonio, Texas in 2014. The bakery, which specializes in handmade bread, pan dulce and pastries inspired by Mexico’s Golden Era, or Epoca de Oro, draws influence from French, Italian and American bread making techniques. La Panadería’s unique approach to breadmaking includes a minimum 48-hour fermentation process that results in artisan bread and pastries unlike any other. La Panadería has three locations in San Antonio, Texas.

Whataburger raises money for local families in need

Whataburger presented the San Antonio Food Bank with a check for $31, 624.20. From left to right: Krystal Garza, Whataburger Field Marketing Coordinator, Tom Willet, Whataburger Director of Operations, Eric Cooper, San Antonio Food Bank President & CEO, Melba Harris, Whataburger Community Experience Manager, Brenda Cervantes Sanchez, Whataburger Field Marketing Coordinator. Photo: Whataburger, used with permission.

Orange Spirit Week is Whataburger’s annual tradition of honoring its legacy while giving back to the communities it serves. This year, in honor of its 71st anniversary, Whataburger partnered with Feeding America® to help provide more than three million meals through local food banks across Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Following its first-ever systemwide fundraiser benefitting Feeding America®, Whataburger is giving $31,624 raised in the San Antonio area to the San Antonio Food Bank to help fight hunger in the community. (Whataburger, 2021)

The local gift is part of more than $300,000 that Whataburger customers donated across its 10-state footprint during the company’s Orange Spirit Week celebration. Customers who donated $1 during the fundraiser received a free Whataburger coupon for their generosity. Funds raised benefitted the communities where they were given. It is all part of Whataburger Feeding Student Success, the company’s signature community program operating at the intersection of food insecurity and education and focusing on helping students at all levels of education achieve their goals and dreams.

The magic of Whataburger started on August 8, 1950, in a tiny burger stand in Corpus Christi, Texas. An entrepreneur named Harmon Dobson set out to build a burger so delicious that customers would take that first bite and say, “What a burger!” Today, Whataburger is known for delicious burgers, big flavor, and the brand’s pride in taking care of its guests, communities, and employees, known as Family Members. Orange Spirit Week celebrates its founding and the foundation for success that Dobson created.

‘Celebration’ gala supporting San Antonio’s artistic institutions goes virtual

Proceeds from the September 19 gala will benefit the San Antonio Museum of Art, Ballet San Antonio, The Public Theater of San Antonio, San Antonio Chamber Choir, and YOSA. Photo: San Antonio Museum of Art, used with permission.

This September, the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA), Ballet San Antonio, The Public Theater of San Antonio, San Antonio Chamber Choir, and Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (YOSA) will join forces to produce “Celebration,” a collaborative arts showcase and fundraising spectacular. Due to the rising number of COVID cases, the art organizations made the difficult decision to move Celebration to a digital format. Celebration will be broadcast on September 19, 2021 at 10a.m. on News 4 WOAI and at 7:30a.m. on Fox 29 KABB. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)

“We are thrilled to come together with these extraordinary performing arts nonprofits to empower the arts in our community. We have much to celebrate after this past year. We hope people will join us in supporting the arts in San Antonio.” – Dr. Emily Sano, Co-Interim Director, Coates-Cowden-Brown Senior Advisor for Asian Art

The “Celebration” gala is chaired by Kristin and Dick Tips. Funds raised during the gala will support the missions of the San Antonio Museum of Art, Ballet San Antonio, The Public Theater of San Antonio, San Antonio Chamber Choir and YOSA.

The San Antonio Museum of Art serves as a forum to explore and connect with art that spans the world’s geographies, artistic periods, genres, and cultures. Its collection contains nearly 30,000 works representing 5,000 years of history. Housed in the historic Lone Star Brewery on the Museum Reach of San Antonio’s River Walk, the San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to promoting the rich cultural heritage and life of the city. The Museum hosts hundreds of events and public programs each year, including concerts, performances, tours, lectures, symposia, and interactive experiences. As an active civic leader, the Museum is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the city and the region, and to supporting its creative community.

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San Antonio Food & Wine Alliance’s inaugural Wine and Dine dinner

Acclaimed Chef Steve McHugh welcomes special guest Chef Todd Pulsinelli to support South Texas’ culinary community. Photo: google

Texas food lovers will have the opportunity to be entertained by some of the nation’s most acclaimed chefs as the San Antonio Food & Wine Alliance (SAFWA) launches its celebrated Wine & Dine dinner series. James Beard Award nominee Steve McHugh will host special guest Chef Todd Pulsinelli for an Oktoberfest feast paying homage to San Antonio’s German heritage. Money raised will benefit the Alliance’s Culinary Grant Program in South Texas.  (San Antonio Food & Wine Alliance, 2021)

“We are extremely excited and honored by the support of such an incredible Texas chef. With a lauded Louisiana chef added to the lineup, we are sure to have a memorable Wine & Dine dinner.” – Gina Burchenal, interim executive director of the Texas Food & Wine Alliance.

In the unique dinner format, attendees get an up-close-and-personal opportunity to understand each chef’s inspiration and culinary philosophy through specially designed menus expertly paired with top-tier wines and spirits. Previous Wine & Dine dinners held in Austin have featured culinary legends Jacques Pépin, Lidia Bastianich, Emeril Lagasse, and nationally acclaimed chefs Hugh Acheson, Aaron Franklin, Matthew Jennings, Alon Shaya, and more.

The exclusive dinner will take place on Sunday, September 19 at Cured, McHugh’s acclaimed restaurant located at the historic Pearl. Five-time James Beard-nominated Chef McHugh will collaborate with Chef Pulsinelli on five delectable courses.

Recognized by his peers as one of the Best Chefs America, Pulsinelli is a fixture of New Orleans’ hospitality community, with stints at Warbucks, The American Sector at the National World War II Museum, and August. His fresh take on classic Creole cooking is currently wowing guests at buzzy boutique hotel The Chloe.

Tickets are available now at San Antonio Food & Wine Alliance’s (SAFWA)  for $225 and include wine and beer pairings by acclaimed sommelier and TFWA board member Paula Rester-Salinas. The experience will kick off with a cocktail hour at 5:30p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30p.m.

Guests can also support the Alliance from September 18-October 3, two weeks of activations celebrating German culture at the historic Pearl. Lick Honest Ice Creams, Park Bar, and Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery will offer special treats or flights with a portion of the proceeds benefiting SAFWA.

All funds raised will benefit the host city’s culinary communities through SAFWA’s programming, including the Culinary Arts Career Conference for high school students and a unique grant program supporting culinary innovation and community giveback. As a continuation of its dynamic decade of success in supporting and cultivating Austin’s culinary businesses and nonprofits, the Austin Food & Wine Alliance (AFWA) expanded statewide in September 2020 to replicate its mission in Texas’ major cities, a move that will support pandemic recovery over the next several years. The newly formed Texas Food & Wine Alliance is the umbrella organization overseeing the AFWA, SAFWA, the Dallas Food & Wine Alliance, and the Houston Food & Wine Alliance.

The San Antonio Food & Wine Alliance is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering awareness, support, and innovation in the South Texas culinary community through grants, educational programming, and events. Guided by an all-volunteer board of directors and committees made up of culinary- and community-minded professionals, the Alliance’s commitment is to support, inspire, and showcase Texas and beyond through the power of our diverse culinary communities.

Boysville hosts Wildly Magical Auction in the West featuring Penn & Teller

The 55th annual event is the primary fundraiser for the local nonprofit. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Boysville’s 55th Annual Wildly Magical Auction in the West, presented by WellMed and the WellMed Foundation, is set for 6:30p.m. Friday, September 17, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center Stars at Night Ballroom. The event will be live again this year after moving online in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Boysville, 2021)

With sold out runs on Broadway, world tours, Emmy-winning TV specials, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and hundreds of outrageous guest appearances on everything from Fallon to Friends, The Simpsons to Colbert, Modern Family to Big Bang Theory; the magic of famed Las Vegas entertainers, Penn & Teller, highlights the evening emceed by local personality Chuck Cureau. Alamo city jazz musician Michael Alanis will entertain guests prior to the spellbinding magic performance of Penn & Teller.

Penn & Teller. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

“This is our largest fundraising event. Every bit of money raised at this event goes right back to Boysville for the recreation, education and therapeutic needs of our kids. If you can’t attend, there are still many ways the public can support this event through either auction bidding, raffle or direct donations.” – Beth Green, Boysville’s chief development officer

In keeping with city mandated safety precautions, the event will be limited to fifty tables, or five hundred guests. The public is invited to bid on auction items online beginning September 6, 2021. 

Now in its 55th year, the auction had humble beginnings. According to Green, it started in the barn on Boysville’s campus with livestock and chickens. About 20 years ago, the event moved off campus and has continued growing since, with sixty-five volunteers working to make the event happen.

Each year Boysville cares for over three hundred boys and girls on its campus. Boysville provides transitional housing and support to young adults who are exiting the foster care system. Former Boysville resident, Shaun Billings, CEO of IAQ Experts – a cleaning service specializing in indoor air quality solutions – will share his story as part of the evening program.

Other highlights of the evening include the Chicken Coop Raffle. There will only be two hundred tickets available at $100 each. Winners can choose from up to ten items valued at $250 or more. Green encourages the public to donate for that raffle as well as the silent auction. Sponsorships from a “Date Night Table for Two” for $500, $3,000 to $10,000 are still available, as well as donations to the Funds for the Future Campaign which goes toward underwriting the educational needs of Boysville residents – even through college.

To become a sponsor or donate to Boysville, contact Beth Green or call 210-659-1901.

Boysville has been providing a safe, family environment for children in need since 1943. Today, Boysville provides a continuum of trauma-informed services and care for children and caregivers affected by abuse, neglect, and family crisis. Through holistic wrap-around services, each child receives the opportunity to heal from past trauma while focusing on their future.