Celebrity Philanthropy

Eva Longoria lends million-dollar star power to Dallas Women’s Foundation

What: Dallas Women’s Foundation 30th annual luncheon

The 411: Co-chairs Jane and Michael Hurst, Paula and Ron Parker, and Stacey and John Relton welcomed 1,800 attendees to this sold-out luncheon, which is one of the largest on Dallas’ philanthropic scene. Guests are always inspired by the luncheon's featured speakers, but this year Texas native Eva Longoria won over the crowd by saying she was 1) a Dallas Cowboys fan, and 2) shaped by the amazing women in her life. Although the event raised more than $1.2 million, the afternoon affair also celebrated the $30 million that the Dallas Women’s Foundation has given in grants over the last 30 years to fuel research, programming, collaboration, and innovation for women and girls in North Texas.

“This year’s Dallas Women’s Foundation annual luncheon not only celebrated our 30th anniversary, but it also demonstrated our commitment to improve the economic security of North Texas women,” said DWF president and CEO Roslyn Dawson Thompson. “While we are proud to have reached this $30 million granting milestone, we know there is still so much work to be done to ensure women are full participants in our society.”

Who: Nancy Loewe, Hilda Galvan, Charity Wallace, Wendy Messmann, Jennifer Chandler, Morgan Kennedy, Byron Sanders, Ambassador Jeanne Phillips, Ashlee and Chris Kleinert, Nancy Ann Hunt, Mackenzie Meyer, Jan Osborne, Robin Bagwell, Ka Cotter, Katherine Wynne, Selwyn Rayzor, Lisa Cooley, Toni Muñoz-Hunt and Dan Hunt, Jennifer Biry, Holly Reed, Jennifer E. Morris, Joy Mankoff, Sarah Losinger, Lynn McBee, A. Shonn Brown, Patricia Houck, Lyssa Jenkens, Angela Nash, Lael Brodsky, and April Box Chamberlain.

Luncheon guests joining the ripple effect at Dallas Women’s Foundation’s 30th annual luncheon.

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slam-dunk event

Dallas Mavs Ball's $2 million tally is nothing but net for families in need

Photo courtesy of Dallas Mavericks

Kyrie Irving and Mark Cuban each won a $77,000 bid for a five-day trip to Slovenia – where Luka Dončić resides

The Dallas Mavericks' biggest fans and supporters dressed in blue to raise some serious green for the team's charitable foundation at the 2024 Mavs Ball.

About 700 supporters of the Mavs Foundation gathered at the Hilton Anatole on March 22 for the ninth annual star-studded affair, which raises money to support nonprofit organizations serving children, women, and families in need in the community.

Upon arrival, local celebrities, VIPs, and current and past Mavericks players and their dates walked the blue carpet and stopped for interviews and photos. Among them were the entire 2023-24 Mavericks team, head coach Jason Kidd, general manager Nico Harrison, minority owner Mark Cuban, and CEO Cynt Marshall, as well as Mavericks legends Rolando Blackman, Devin Harris, Josh Howard, Salah Mejri, Charlie Villanueva, Sam Perkins, and Shawn Marion. Notably,Sivan Dumont, part of the Adelson/Dumont new ownership group ownership group, also was in attendance.

The glittery evening started with a VIP cocktail reception, blue carpet arrival, arena-style player instructions, and multicourse seated dinner. Mentalist Oz Pearlman entertained the crowd with mind-bending tricks and stunts, including revealing the serial number of a $100 bill belonging to Mavs forward Markieff Morris and revealing the drink that Mavs forward Maxi Kleber was thinking of. (Pearlman opened a can of soda and poured out chocolate milk, Kleber's answer.)

But the live auctions were what got the crowd going most. Popular items included the chance to be a coach or general manager for a day, and enjoying a dining experience with Mavs' team chef Lex Grant.

In one of the biggest highlights of the night, Mavs star Kyrie Irving and Cuban engaged in a bidding war for a five-day trip to Slovenia, Luka Dončić's home country, which included practices and a game with the entire Slovenian national team. Both Irving and Cuban won trips with a bid of $77,000.

Dončić then returned the kindness by matching another bidder’s $33,000 for a personal skills camp with Irving.

In all, $1.8 million was raised for the Mavs Foundation. To celebrate, Emerald City Band got the crowd on its feet on the dance floor.

Photo courtesy of Dallas Mavericks

Live auction wins by Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić alone raised more than $100,000.

In its 27 years, the Mavs Foundation has provided grant funding totaling more than $10 million to nonprofit organizations serving women, children and families in need. The foundation also has built 56 safe Learn & Play spaces throughout the North Texas community, including 31 basketball courts and 25 Reading & Learning Centers.

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