Houston Astros’ Charitable Spirit Honored by Storied Houston Museum

The philanthropic swath that the Houston Astros Foundation has painted across the city in recent years has been lost on few and celebrated by many but no honors have been perhaps more prestigious than the Holocaust Museum Houston Guardian of the Human Spirit Award, presented to the foundation at the annual fundraising luncheon.

Twila Carter, foundation executive director, accepted the award as the Astros contributions were tallied before the gathering of close to 850 attending the luncheon, which was held at the Hilton Americas-Houston. Beyond numerous initiatives, the foundation’s broad canvas of philanthropy includes three cornerstone programs — Community Leaders, the Astros MLB Youth Academy and the Astros RBI Program. (Reviving baseball in inner cities).

“From literacy efforts to honoring first responders and programs to prevent domestic violence, the organization’s combined human impact exemplifies what it means to be a Guardian of the Human Spirit,” the museum noted.

The program featured H-E-B president Scott McClelland inviting the audience to take a seventh inning stretch while singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” and then sitting down on stage for a lively conversation with Astros executive advisor Reid Ryan and MLB Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell.

Chaired by Barbara and Michael Gamson, Patti and Mike Morgan and Marcie and Bob Zlotnik, the event raised $615,000 for museum programs. Serving as honorary chairs were Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, and Mayor Sylvester Turner. The host committee was chaired by Renee and Alan Helfman.

PC Seen: HMH board chair Benjamin Warren and wife Joy, Mayor Pro Tem Ellen Cohen, Consul General of Israel Gilad Katz, Houston First chairman David Mincberg, former chair of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Council Fred Zeidman, Arthur Schechter, Tali and Eric Blumrosen, Gail and Dr. Milton Klein, Barbara Hines, Pierce Bush, Jeri and Marc Shapiro, Kelly Cohen Fein and Martin Fein, Heidi and David Gerger, Kathy and Marty Goossen, Shelly Hendry, Maria and Neil Bush, and Luis Zúñiga and Kelly J. Zúñiga, HMH CEO.