Disrupt Gives 2025 Gala

On Saturday, March 8th, 2025, Disrupt Gives hosted our Inaugural Gala at the C. Baldwin Hotel in Houston, Texas. With our theme “Venice in the City,” we invited guests to experience the enchanting allure of Venice right in the heart of the city. We transformed the night into a trip to the magical canals and historic grandeur of Venice, while we celebrated our stakeholders and highlighted the work of Disrupt Gives.

Each year, our Inaugural Gala aims to raise funds and awareness for Disrupt Gives’ ongoing projects and initiatives. “We saw the instability that was in families that were not able to ultimately pay the rent on time,” says Disrupt Gives Co-Founder Ben Suttles. “We felt the need to give back to the community and give back to our residents,” continues Suttles, “so we created Disrupt Gives.” The support we receive at our galas helps us to continue to make a significant impact in our community through innovative and sustainable programs.

This year we had the pleasure of Fox 26 News’ Dalaun Dillard hosting our grand event. In addition, Houston Astros legend Lance Berkman served as our Honorary Gala Chair this year. We also honored the following outstanding individuals:

• Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Janis Burke, former CEO of the Harris County Sports Authority
• Trailblazer of the Year Dorain Cokrell, Vice President and Central Program Officer in Global Philanthropy of JP Morgan Chase
• Humanitarian of the Year Dr. Teriya Richmond, CEO of Teriya M. Richmond, MD, MPH, PLLC
• Corporate Partner of the Year PNC Bank

“I stepped into Venice on Saturday night. In Houston,” says JP Ramirez, Senior Vice President of Client and Community Relations Director at PNC Bank. “Disrupt Gives transformed an evening into a movement,” Ramirez continued, “Sometimes galas are pegged as frivolous. This one wasn’t. Every champagne toast funded another family’s stability. Every conversation sparked potential new community solutions. Want to make an impact while enjoying extraordinary evenings? Disrupt Gives delivers both, masterfully.”

All proceeds from the gala benefited our rental assistance program, financial literacy sessions, and workforce development opportunities. Disrupt Gives Co-Founder Feras Moussa describes the approach for Disrupt Gives as “giving people stability in their lives.” Moussa says, “between our rental assistance program, which will provide direct need for families, or our multiple workshops, we’re here to train both the current generation and the future generation to help build the foundation for what they’re going to do in the future.” These contributions truly helped us push further!

The night concluded with live entertainment, fine dining, networking, and an exciting silent auction, with proceeds funding future efforts. Disrupt Gives’ Foundation Director, Tracee Seals, completed the night with a wholehearted “thank you:” “We are deeply gracious and so thankful. Your contributions have a meaningful impact on our mission and allow us to continue our work in the community. Thank you for your support of Disrupt Gives and our mission to create lasting change in our community.”
If you didn’t make it to “Venice in the City” this year, you can still support us at Disrupt Gives. Visit us at www.disruptgives.com to learn about ways to volunteer, donate, and help families in need. Join us as we “Disrupt” housing instability!