Some of Dallas’ Most Giving Families Assembled to ‘Do the Most Good’ With the Salvation Army of North Texas

For native Dallasites, The Salvation Army goes hand-in-hand with football because of the agency’s 27-year partnership with the Dallas Cowboys. It’s fun to watch players jump in the giant red kettle after scoring a touchdown on Thanksgiving Day, knowing that the Cowboys will match the NFL’s fine by making a donation to The Salvation Army of North Texas. On November 16, 2023, The Salvation Army hosted its annual Doing the Most Good Annual Luncheon at the Hilton Anatole, with funds raised benefiting the Army’s mission to combat poverty, addiction, and homelessness. 

In order to do the most good, the event drafted some of the most well-known philanthropists in Dallas for the team. Lisa Cooley and Lisa Singleton co-chaired the luncheon, with Annette Simmons and Amy Simmons Crafton serving as honorary chairs. Benefactors who serve on the Community Advisory Committee include many of the most prominent names in town — Dedman! Ford! Jones! Perot! Sewell! Trout! — who ensure that The Salvation Army can fulfill its Christian-focused mission to “preach the gospel and meet human needs in {Christ’s} name without discrimination.”

The perfect recruit to serve as the luncheon’s guest speaker? James Brown, host of The NFL Today on CBS and Inside the NFL on Paramount+. Emcee Meredith Land of NBC5 introduced “JB,” who opened his remarks with charmingly delivered anecdotes about Terry Bradshaw and a joke that Gene Jones once asked him to play on her husband, Jerry.  (“If the wife asks you to do it, you do it!”)

Brown then shared his deeply personal connection to The Salvation Army. Two of James’ brothers went to rehabilitation centers through the organization. Brown specifically thanked North Texas Area Commanders Majors Dawn and Paul McFarland for their outreach and support, which he called “hand-ups not hand-outs.”

Brown, an ordained pastor known to his congregation as “the weeping minister,” proceeded to quite literally take the audience to church, delivering a spirited homily wrapped in– what else– football analogies.

Brown’s commentary included four key takeaways:

– No progress is made in the huddle. Salvation Army helps those break from the huddle and run the play. 
– We are all on the clock. A delay of game results in a penalty, so play the game effectively. 
– We get our play calls directly from God. 
– If you run the play that God gives you, God will come down and block for you. 

It’s easy to see why Brown has hosted the Super Bowl a record 10 times. His warmth, generosity of spirit, and passion captivated every person in the biggest ballroom in Dallas, inspiring them to open their wallets a bit wider to do the most good.