The Hildebrand Foundation Drove Record Giving For New Bus
Thanks to the generosity of Mindy and Jeff Hildebrand and The Hildebrand Foundation's $15,000 Matching Grant challenge, the Nehemiah Center was able to raise $27,340 in only 5 minutes at Jazz on the Bayou. When you add that amount to the foundation's $15,000 pledge, the total comes to $42,340. There is no doubt that the Hildebrand challenge drove patrons of the Center's annual Celebration Dinner and Dance to give just a little bit more to ensure that Nehemiah students would have safe, reliable transportation to the Center in the coming year.
On April 24, 2015, Nehemiah Middle School students ushered a 7-foot long poster of a school bus into the ballroom at River Oaks Country Club. Board President-Elect John Reed then took the podium to issue The Hildebrand Foundation Matching Grant Challenge. Patrons were asked to consider donating $100, $250 or $500 to, "Put a Nehemiah student on the new bus." The challenge was fun and widely successful.
The Center is now raised just over half of the money required to purchase a new (gently used) bus. It is the hope of the Center's Executive Director Tonia Labbé to complete this fundraising campaign and take delivery of a new bus before the Christmas holiday. Companies, foundations or individuals willing to donate to this important this capital campaign may contact Development Director Angela Synek at asynek@nehemiahcenterhouston.org.