Potente Chef and His Team Cook Up 400 Meals in a $429,500 Night to Fight Domestic Violence in Houston

Potente executive chef Danny Trace was more than willing to jump into the kitchen on behalf of AVDA as the nonprofit battling domestic violence was celebrating its 40th anniversary and needed some pizzazz for its virtual fundraiser. With the rise in cases of domestic brutality since COVID-19, support was already in place but with the promise of Potente’s dreamy Spaghetti al Tartufo with black truffles, the stage was set for a victorious fundraiser.

Indeed. The “Home Safe Home” drive-thru dinner pickup and Zoom programming event knocked at it out of the ballpark with proceeds of $429,500 easily surpassing the goal of $375,000. And, yes, the program originated from Minute Maid Park.

Potente, as you might recall, is the restaurant endeavor of Houston Astros owner Jim Crane and one of the tenants of the Astros Foundation is domestic violence awareness. Thus, it was an easy partnership that had Trace and his team cooking 400 meals in the Minute Maid Park kitchen and scores of Astros/AVDA volunteers lining up to help distribute the boxed dinners.

On hand for the program, which was led by AVDA CEO Maisha Colter, were Astros senior vice president of community affairs and Astros Foundation CEO Twila Carter, gala chairs Vanessa and Chuck Ames and the honorees. In the spotlight were former AVDA client Dr. Rebecca Berens, speaking live from Minute Maid Park; Dori Kornfeld Goldman, partner at Yetter Coleman LLP, honored with the Joseph D. Jamail Award for Justice; Tony Bradfield, owner of Tenenbaum Jewelers, receiving AVDA’s Heart of Houston Award; and the National Council of Jewish Women – Houston Section, recognized with the Faithful Founders Award for the key role they played in the formation of AVDA ago in 1980.

“I am extremely proud of the AVDA team. Our services have not waivered during COVID,”  Colter says. “And we were able to achieve a safe and appealing fundraising event that allowed our supporters to give to our cause while remaining safe in their homes.”

The fundraising included not only an online auction but also auction tickets offering a chance to win a $10,000 card to Tenenbaum Jewelers.

A number of AVDA participants chose to have dinner at Potente, directly across the street from Minute Maid Park.

PC Seen: Honoree Tony Bradfield, Hallie Vanderhider, Julie and Eric Kuo, Meredith Marshall, Annsley and Chris Popov, Jordan and Dylan Seff, Sheridan Willams, Beth and John McKay, Shelby Hodge and Shafik Rifaat.