Boogie Night

Dallas disco fans boogie all night to raise cash for LGBT cause

The Dallas Design District transformed into Funky Town for a night when Resource Center threw the 19th annual Toast to Life, themed “Time to Boogie.” And boogie everyone did.

Dressed in leisure suits, afro wigs, platform shoes, and roller skates, these supporters — never ones to shy away from a theme — partied like it was 1979. To ensure the dance floor stayed packed all night was the incomparable DJ Lady Bunny, who spun disco favorites and cut a rug right alongside the revelers.

Also keeping the party going was host Steve Kemble, who wore perhaps the biggest wig in the room. In a funny exchange, Lady Bunny looked at Kemble and said, “I’m mad at you because your hair is bigger than mine.”

To keep their energy up, attendees — including Kemble’s gal pal and Real Housewives of Dallas star LeeAnne Locken, Resource Center CEO Cece Cox, Chad Collum, Tommy Walker, Susan Morgan, Erike Morgan, Rodrigo Orta, Johnathan Brownlee, and Silver Hogue — stopped by food stations set up around the room’s perimeter, featuring small bites from the city’s top restaurants, including Stock & Barrel, Spice in the City, Street’s Fine Chicken, Villa-O, Salum, Truluck’s, and Dish.

Sweets were provided by the Original Cupcakery and Frosted Art. But who are we kidding? Dance fuel can most often be found in the glass. On this occasion, that ranged from sparkling wine to Stoli cocktails.

When they needed a break from dancing (see what we did there?), partygoers cruised through the silent auction, placing bids on custom art, exotic vacation packages, and fine-dining gift certificates. After all, this disco party was as much about raising money as showing off one’s dance moves.

The live auction proved just as important to the fundraising. Up for bid were items like a six-course winner dinner for 10 at Truluck’s; a VIP music experience for two to Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey at the AAC; and a two-night hotel stay, plus 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles. But the live auction item that generated the most buzz — and went for $1,700, which is three-plus more times its value — was dinner for four with WFAA’s Dale Hansen at the Palm.

Perhaps you saw the national headlines after Hansen’s two-minute speech in support of transgender teen athlete Mack Beggs. It’s not hard to see why Hansen is beloved by the LGBT community, as well as so many others.

All told, Toast to Life raised $218,000 for the programs and services of Resource Center, which empowers the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities and all people affected by HIV through improving health and wellness, strengthening families and communities, and providing transformative education and advocacy.

Cameron Hernholm, Terry Loftis

Photo by Shana Anderson

Cameron Hernholm, Terry Loftis

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Coffee news

Starbucks partners bestow $53K in grants to favorite Dallas nonprofits

Courtesy

Chalkboard at Starbucks celebrates Resource Center.

In a one-of-a-kind charitable program, coffee giant Starbucks has bestowed more than two dozen grants to organizations across Dallas — organizations selected by Starbucks employees themselves.

Called The Starbucks Foundation’s Neighborhood Grants program, it's unique as a charitable effort thanks to its profound level of engagement, by allowing employees to nominate nonprofit recipients.

The Starbucks Foundation is the company's charitable arm which issues grants to nonprofits — from coffee and tea-growing communities around the world to neighborhood groups.

The Neighborhood Grants program gives their "partners" (what they call their employees) the opportunity to support the local organizations they care most about. This year, more than 3,200 grants are being awarded across the U.S. and Canada. Of that number, 27 organizations in Dallas received a Neighborhood Grant, totaling $53,000.

That included a $4,000 grant to Resource Center, a Dallas provider of LGBTQIA+ services and a big Starbucks staff favorite: It was nominated by an unprecedented 40 partners, and has previously earned seven grants totaling $20,000 from The Starbucks Foundation since 2019.

Resource Center's director of corporate engagement & events Bill Scott says that the grant is part of a larger meaningful partnership.

"In the current climate, we've seen many corporations turn away from our community, but Starbucks has remained steadfast," Scott says. "And we see it in ways that go beyond the grants, whether it's volunteering at our food bank or being ready for any fundraising event where they'll set up a coffee station to distribute to our guests."

Founded in 1983, Resource Center focuses on three pillars: positive social engagement in safe spaces, supportive services to promote wellness, and skill-building opportunities to promote growth.

Resource Center accepts grant from Starbucks Foundation, from left to right: Bill Scott (RC), Daniel Sanchez (RC), Tres Brown (RC), and Howard Jackson (SBUX).Jeffrey McWhorter

"The grant will help us continue to serve and uplift our community with more programming in areas like health and wellness," Scott says. "Last year, we opened our first low-income affordable housing complex for seniors, and before it even opened, it was sold out. We can see that the services we provide fill a real need."

It's a rare scenario in the corporate world, Scott says.

"There are not many companies I have dealt with like the Starbucks Foundation where they rely on their partners to make recommendations and listen to their partners," he says.

For Starbucks partners like Marsh King, an operations consultation manager who's been with the company for nearly 28 years, Starbucks' priority on being mission-driven has been a big incentive to stay with the company.

"When you see a grant that might give Resource Center the funds to do something like buy more refrigeration for the food pantry they just opened — it's gratifying to see that direct impact and know that you're a part of it," she says.

The level of engagement is very grass-roots, says senior partner employee relations associate Howard Jackson.

"We have customers who come in and say, 'I saw you at that event last weekend," he says. "We support the community, and they are our customers, as well. Through this work, we connect a lot of dots."

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