Houston TV News Star and Actress Author Keep It Humorous and Heartfelt for The Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation

What: The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Ladies for Literacy Guild “Power of Literacy Luncheon.”

Where: The Post Oak Hotel

PC moment: Highlight of the luncheon was the humorous as well as heartfelt discussion between KPRC news anchor Lisa Hernandez and Jeannie Gaffigan, actress, producer, writer, philanthropist, mother of five and New York Times best-selling author. Their conversation focused on her book When Life Gives You Pears — a memoir chronicling her diagnosis, surgery and recovery from a pear-sized benign brain tumor — and life with her husband standup comedian Jim Gaffigan.

Mother-daughter duo Gina Saour and Carolyn Mohsenzadeh chaired the luncheon that raised more than $575,000 thanks to the support of the 600 guests that filled the ballroom.

“As a mother to a daughter with dyslexia, I’ve witnessed firsthand the importance of having access to high-quality educational resources and services,” Mohsenzadeh says. “The proceeds raised today will get us one step closer to closing the opportunity gap for our youngest and most vulnerable children, regardless of their zip code and family status.”

Ladies for Literacy Guild president Ginger Blanton shared with the gathering the accomplishments of the guild during the last year allowing that proceeds from the 2021 luncheon made possible libraries for more than 3,000 underserved HISD students. This came through the foundation’s signature My Home Library program and is supported the foundation’s Camp Adventure summer learning program and funded the creation of the George and Barbara Bush Family Place at the Central Library in downtown Houston. In addition, the guild was able to provide a fourth Curiosity Cruiser mobile library.

PC Seen: Julie Baker Finck, Lisa Jakel, Betty Hrncir, Deborah Duncan, Tricia Georgiou, Donatella Benckenstein, Trish Morille, Dominique Sachse, Stephanie Tsuru, Alice Mosing, Lilly Andress, Cathy Cleary, Ann Bookout, Sidney Faust, Kathy Goossen, Lisa and Keith Garvin, Deborah Stavis, Amy Chronus, Maureen Higdon, and Vicki West.