Introducing Allen Lea, our newest board member! A 6th generation Texan with a deep passion for the arts and history, Allen brings extensive museum experience and expertise. As the director of our partner, the Eternal Gandhi Museum Houston, he has made significant contributions to the field since 2009. Allen holds degrees from Baylor University and Christie's Auction House Education in London. He is also actively involved in Rotary International and has served on various boards. We are excited to have Allen join our board of directors!
Birmingham Bombing and Beyond: Living a Life of Love After Hate - Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston's 2024 IMPower Lecture
BIRMINGHAM BOMBING AND BEYOND: LIVING A LIFE OF LOVE AFTER HATE
Tuesday, May 21, 2024, 7:00 PM | Presented by Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston
Join Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston for “Birmingham and Beyond: Living a Life of Love after Hate” to hear Lisa McNair’s story of triumph over evil, resiliency, and forgiveness after her sister was killed in the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. Now an author, speaker, and bridgebuilder, Lisa has chosen a path of love over hate, and will share why at IMGH’s IMpower Lecture 2024. Learn more and register.
March Luncheon Presenters and Emcee are confirmed!
MEET OUR PRESENTERS AND EMCEE
Expert Insights: Dr. Bob Randall, one of the founders of Urban Harvest and a true visionary in the development of area community gardens will be joined by Janna Robertson, Executive Director of Urban Harvest, to share their insights and expertise in urban agriculture in Houston.
Emcee Extraordinaire: Ernie Manouse, writer, producer, and Houston Public Media PBS host will guide us through an inspiring multi-media luncheon experience with his charismatic personality.
Compassionate Houston at Houston City Council
Our program committee with Board Chair, Pam Lewis and volunteers, Raymond Stubblefield and Marlin Murdock, visited Houston City Council on February 6 to present our “Random Acts of Kindness Celebration with Compassionate Houston.“ Let the ripple effect of kindness continue…
Please participate in our suggested activities and spread kindness on RAK day next Saturday, February 18.
RAK Resources with our own complimentary kindness card. Share far and near !! > Click here.
Get your Early Bird Ticket for our Spring Luncheon March 22!
Our Spring Luncheon is two months out, and we started an early bird ticket sale for $99 until Valentine's Day (individual tickets after 2/14 sell for $150). Expect a festive and colorful event that highlights the incredible impact of community gardens on fostering compassion within the Greater Houston communities. With over 200 community gardens in and around Houston, we can all learn about the spirit of sharing, building relationships, supporting vulnerable populations, and fostering environmental stewardship.
Community Gardens - promoting compassion towards others and the Earth.
Join us at our "Sowing Seeds of Compassion" fundraiser event and discover how community gardens can transform lives and communities. Let's create a world where compassion flourishes, one garden at a time! Get your early bird tickets and check out the various sponsorship opportunities!
Help Our Compassionate Community Rock on RAK Day!
Experience the Power of Kindness on Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Day!
Join us on Saturday, February 17, for Random Acts of Kindness Day. Let's spread love, compassion, and positivity while strengthening our community bonds.
On this day, prioritize kindness in your thoughts, words, and actions. Need some inspiration? We have compiled various resources for you! Explore activities by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, support local refugee families, find inspiration in kindness quotes and a guided meditation. Or post our complimentary KindCard below, designed by board member and local visual artist Sneha Bhavsar, on social media. > Read on for our curated resources.
Share your amazing kindness stories with us (email us here), and we'll help amplify your outreach. Together, let's make a lasting impact through acts of kindness.
Registration closed for both book studies in February - Waitlist available
Both four-week book studies, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, are now at capacity, and we have closed registration. We are thrilled about the great turnout and look forward to exploring David Brooks’ “How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and being Deeply Seen.”
Both book reading programs will be co-facilitated by Marlin Murdock and Pam Lewis.
Learn more about the amazing book and author David Brooks > here.
We have opened a waitlist, and will reach out to you if spots become available. > Join Waitlist Here
Registration closed for February Wednesday Book Study - 2nd Book Study Now Open
Due to high demand, we have closed registration for our Wednesday book study in February and offer now a second four-week study on Thursday evenings. New dates for 2nd book study: Thursdays, February 8, 15, 22, and 29. Head over to our book study landing page to register.
Our Spring Luncheon is back in March 2024
Mark your calendar for our annual luncheon March 22, 2024 at the Junior League of Houston. Details for "Sowing Seeds of Compassion" coming soon!
Announcing new Seasonal Book Studies program starting in February 2024!
After two years of our summer book readings, we have decided to expand and offer FOUR seasonal book studies throughout the year. We are pleased to introduce our amazing book study champion and dedicated Compassionate Houston volunteer, Marlin Murdock, who will be facilitating these enlightening discussions.
Our first book study will be an exploration of David Brooks' latest book: How To Know A Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply.
New lunchtime program series with Marci Sharif beginning January 2024!
Meditate & Connect with Marci - A new lunchtime program beginning January 18 from 12-12:30 PM via Zoom.
Compassionate Houston is excited to announce a new monthly lunchtime program series with our partner Marci Sharif. Marci will present a virtual meditation and connection circle once each month, during the lunch hour, for connecting with compassion. Use part of your lunch break to center, meditate and connect.
Welcome New Partner Prana - Essence of Life
Meet our newest partner, Prana: Essence of Life, a non-profit organization focusing on conscious living through practices that take us close to nature.
Here’s Deeblena Banerji's introduction:
All-pervading life-force (i.e. Prana) is the binding thread of the universe and is all for us to experience and explore in our lifetime. Our goal is to experience Prana in every moment of our conscious existence through various nature activities such as: earth-living, responsible food-practices, conservation of soil and natural resources, open-air performing arts, Yoga, and mindful health practices. Such experiences of Prana will enhance the quality of life leading to self-discovery and self-love.
A brand-new website is coming soon. In the meantime, follow Prana on Facebook > here.
Welcome Prana - Essence of Life!
Project Kindness featured on ABC13
Exciting News Alert! On November 13, ABC13 Houston shared a story that truly warmed our hearts. They kicked off their pm program with a live feature by highlighting World Kindness Day and introduced our very own initiative, "PROJECT KINDNESS." This beautiful project brings together seniors aged 65+ and bright HCC Honor College freshman students. Can you imagine the magic that happens when these two generations unite to explore kindness over ten weeks of weekly meetings? Read about Project Kindness here.
The spotlight was on a senior volunteer who has been part of this journey for three whole years. Their dedication and compassion were truly inspiring. And let's not forget about the HCC freshman student who was featured alongside them. They perfectly summed up the project's mission, showcasing the power of kindness across generations.
We couldn't be more proud of Project Kindness and the profound impact all participants are making in our community.
Let's continue to spread kindness and make a difference together!
Launching our 100 x $100 Campaign
We are excited to announce our latest fundraising campaign, aimed at raising $10,000 for Compassionate Houston. Our goal is simple: to ask 100 people to donate $100 each by the end of the year.
That's right, just $100 can make a huge difference in amplifying a unified commitment to compassion in Houston. Your generous contribution will be used to provide impactful programming, organize special events, and strengthen our communication channels. Can’t give $100, but you like to be part of the campaign? Everyone can make a difference! You can be one of the 100 donors, make a donation of your choice, or donate beyond the 100 x $100 level. Gifts of gratitude are offered for donations at each level.
> Donate Here
Welcome new partner, Marci Sharif!
We are excited to extend a warm welcome to the newest partner of Compassionate Houston, Marci Sharif, a familiar face to many as a former Houston Chronicle columnist. Marci dedicated her final column for "Feeling Matters" to Project Kindness and our dedicated board president, Pam Lewis. Click here for Marci’s article.
Meet Marci, a self-love columnist and coach.
Through her website Marcisharif.com, she offers ongoing programs, personal coaching, and weekly inspiration, all aimed at building mindfulness skills and authentic self-care. Her weekly column, Feeling Matters, ran in the Houston Chronicle for four years.
She now focuses on actively shepherding people through this work, both individually and in groups, because extending love and compassion in the world starts as a dedicated inside job.
Compassionate Houston partners with Purple Songs Can Fly & Unity of Houston to present "Hope Can Happen" - A Musical in One Act
In honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Purple Songs Can Fly – in partnership with Unity Houston and Compassionate Houston – presents “Hope Can Happen.” This one-act musical written as a sequel to “Journey to Hope” follows nurse Hope Powers on her first day on the job at a Pediatric Hospital as she works through her uncertainties with the help of the ‘unlikely angel’ Sera. This musical features former American Idol contestant and cancer-survivor Christian Spear as Hope, Carol Younkin as Sera, and an original Musical score by Phillip Hall of Phillip Hall Singers and Anita Kruse, Purple Songs Can Fly founder and Executive Director.
Houston Chronicle article by Marci Sharif on Pam Lewis and Project Kindness!
We are excited to share the final installment of Marci Sharif’s FEELING MATTERS column, published in the Houston Chronicle and on Marci's website. We are thrilled that Marci chose to dedicate her last column to none other than our very own PROJECT KINDNESS and the exceptional efforts put forth by our board chair, Pam Lewis.
Remembering Rev. Betty Adam: Honoring Her Legacy, One Year On
Remembering and honoring the incredible legacy of our beloved founder, the late Rev. Betty Adam on the one-year anniversary of her passing. Her vision, passion, and unwavering commitment to compassion continue to inspire us every day. As we reflect on her wisdom, we share her view on compassion, recorded in the summer of 2021.
Compassionate Houston's Summer Book Studies Return!
This summer we will offer two different book discussions, one in July on Karen Armstrong’s book Sacred Nature, and a one in August in partnership with Insight Meditation Houston on Sharon Salzberg’s Real Life. The book studies will take place on Zoom over four Thursday evenings in July and August. Learn more on our Summer Book Club page.
Introducing New Partner Divergent Spirit
We are thrilled to welcome new partner organization Divergent Spirit! Divergent Spirit’s mission is to empower young neurodivergent minds to identify and advocate for their own unique values, strengths, and goals by sharing radical wisdom based storytelling, play, art, and belonging. Divergent Spirit was founded by Rev. Alisha Mills, an interfaith minister, chaplain, and spiritual formation leader.