More than 300 mental health supporters, advocates, philanthropists, community leaders and elected officials gathered at the Hotel ZaZa to honor Spirit of Hope Award recipients Tom Forrester Lord, The Housing Corporation of Greater Houston; Charles O’Connell, Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County; The Honorable Garnet F. Coleman, State Representative, District 147; The Honorable John E. Davis, State Representative, District 129; Tom Horvath, M.D. DeBakey VA Medical Center (retired); The Honorable S. Ward “Trip” Casscells, MD, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense-Health Affairs (2007-09), Mary Parnham, Yates Children Memorial Fund and George Parnham, Parnham and McWilliams Attorneys at Law.

Recipients received their award from past MHA board chairs, Brad Raffle, Dr. Robert Ivany, Judson Robinson III, and Maureen Hackett. Since its inaugural presentation in 2004, the Spirit of Hope Award is a tribute that has only been given to two individuals, Joan Alexander (2004) and Cheryl Burguières (posthumously in 2005).

This well attended event emceed by award winning, Channel 13 journalist Melanie Lawson and co-chaired by Diana and Chase Untermeyer raised nearly $300,000 in support of MHA programs that address some of the most crucial needs and issues in our community, including: postpartum depression/women’s mental health; homelessness/affordable housing; youth and adolescent mental health; veteran’s behavioral health; aging and mental health; integrated health care; and legislative advocacy.

We are grateful for the generosity of Presenting Sponsor, the John P. McGovern Foundation which has been a sponsor of the event for eight consecutive years. We are also thankful for the generosity of Joan and Stanford Alexander, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, the Hackett Family Foundation, FMC Technologies and all of our sponsors and donors for their kindness and support.

For a list of sponsors and donors, honoree videos and photos, visit www.mhahouston.org.