50 Cent, Andre Johnson & Tilman Fertitta Bring Super Star Power to Record $6.2 Million Party Night For Houston Children’s Charity
Laura Ward Somehow Raises the Bar Yet Again
BY Shelby Hodge // 10.23.24Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, NFL Hall of Famer Andre Johnson surprise guests at the Houston Children’s Charity gala. (Photo by Michelle Watson, CatchlightGroup.com)
Only weeks before the laser lights shot across the Post Oak Hotel ballroom at the start of Houston Children’s Charity’s 27th annual gala, CEO Laura Ward was giddily anticipating raising a record $5 million. But this female fundraising juggernaut was not satisfied and her donors continued giving at her urging. By night’s end, the gala had raised an astonishing $6.2 million.
The funds will be used to buy beds for kids that sleep on the floor, purchase wheelchair accessible vans for families in need and fund programs aimed at improving life for the city’s underserved and disabled children.

Since 2007, Houston Children’s Charity board chair Tilman Fertitta told the throng of 700 that the nonprofit has delivered more than 25,000 beds. Since its founding in 1996, HCC has distributed 372 vans. Last year alone, the charity distributed Christmas toys to 17,000 youngsters.
Fertitta and Gary Becker, HCC board vice chairman, both praised Ward for this year’s remarkable feat.

The record dollars were just part of the surprises during the evening that saw Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and NFL Hall of Famer Andre Johnson on stage in support of the nonprofit’s lively auction. Likewise, those who had doubts about the musical wherewithal of headliner band Chicago turned out to be pleasantly surprised with attendees acknowledging, “Those geezers can rock.”

That remarkable bottom line was reached in part thanks to gala title sponsors Porsche River Oaks and Porsche West Houston which donated outright Porsche’s all-electric Macan 4 for the live auction. Ghadi Ali made the top bid on that beauty. The private dinner in the swank Post Oak Hotel penthouse brought in a whopping $500,000 thanks to the deep pockets of Gary Petersen, Katie and Mike Lowenberg, Randy Hopper, Anthony Pusch and Chi Nguyen.
Other high bidders keeping auctioneer Johnny Bravo on his toes were Edna Meyer-Nelson, Brandon Dewan, and Kris Cogliano.
And then came the biggest surprise of the night. Jana and Richard Fant, longtime Houston Children’s Charity supporters, joined Ward on stage to announce their purchase of 30 vans in the Chariots for Children program. A monumental gift that led Fant to quip that he would have to get a night job.

PC Seen: Mayor John Whitmire, Harris County Attorney Kim Ogg, Bess and Rob Wilson, Maria Moncada Aloui, Robert Dale, Marianna Brasel, Rachel and Jeff Bagwell, Julia Morales and Matt Clark, Hallie Vanderhider and Bobby Dees, DeeDee and Tommy Fibich, Youval and Michelle Meicler, Alicia and Lance Smith, Carol and Dr. Tom Sawyer, and Jana and Scotty Arnoldy.