Nolan Ryan and Family Honored at Helping Hand Home’s 25th Annual Champions for Children Luncheon

For 130 years, the Helping Hand Home has been providing healing to children from physical, emotional and sexual abuse, neglect or abandonment. The home’s mission is to bring hope and healing to children and families through a continuum of trauma-informed, therapeutic care including residential, foster, adoption and support programs. Thanks to private and community support, the Home is able to fulfill its mission of healing the most vulnerable children and restoring them to healthy families.

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Stephen and Suzanne Erickson, Susan Erickson, Emily and Christian Erickson (photo by Buster Jetter)

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Jim Spencer, Kondo Simfukwe, Julie Freeman (photo by Buster Jetter)

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Helping Hand Home Foster and Adoption Team

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Buck Cody, Bergan Casey, Karen Boeske, Marcus Reese, Nolan Ryan, Ruth Ryan, Lesley Pitts, Randy Barr, Jim Spencer, Don Barr

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Anna Belle Williams, Marla Kiger, Cissy Warner, Dana Kocurek

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Laura Craddick, Jessica Karlsruher, Katherine Wallin (photo by Buster Jetter)

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Buck Cody, Lesley Pitts, Tania Leskovar-Owens, Bergan Casey

The Helping Hand Home hosted this year’s Champions for Children luncheon on October 29 at the JW Marriott to a sold-out crowd of over 1,000. Every fall, Helping Hand Home for Children hosts this event, presented by Don Hewlett Chevrolet Buick, recognizing nonprofits, corporations and individuals who support children in need. Jim Spencer emceed the event that was chaired by Bergan Casey, Buck Cody, and Lesley Pitts.

Nolan Ryan Foundation Honored by Helping Hand Home

The 2024 Philanthropic Honoree was the Nolan Ryan Foundation. Nolan Ryan’s Hall of Fame career spanned four decades. He retired with 324 wins and a major-league record 5,714 strikeouts. The Nolan Ryan Foundation was formed in 1990 to provide resources for youth education and community development. He and his family were at the luncheon to accept the award.

Inspiring Stories of Resilience

This year’s Champions for Children featured speaker was Kondo Simfukwe. He attended elementary school in Zambia, high school in Australia, and college in the United States. Kondo’s family has been made complete through the gift of adoption. He and his wife felt miraculously compelled to bring home a little girl from Haiti only to discover she had two sisters….none of whom knew the others existed. Believing sisters belong together, they would adopt all three girls. This decision would change their lives and propel them into the world of advocacy.

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Ellen Miura and Marcus Reese (photo by Buster Jetter)

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Ellen Miura and Karen Boeske (photo by Buster Jetter)

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Ellen Miura and Don Barr (photo by Buster Jetter)

Helping Hand Home’s Community Champions

Other award philanthropy recipients were Candlelight Ranch Founders Don and Randy Barr. Candlelight Ranch delivers creative, hands-on programs and nature-based activities in a beautiful Hill Country setting.

Helping Hand Home also recognized Marcus Reese for his philanthropic work. As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Reese made the courageous decision to share his story and founded the nonprofit Break the Silence to support other survivors.

The luncheon also honored former Helping Hand Home resident Karen Boeske. At just three years old and a survivor of childhood abuse, Karen called HHH her home. Along with some of her siblings, she finally felt safe and loved for the first time. Karen shared her personal story and how Helping Hand Home not only saved her but continues to change and shape the lives of countless children today.

Learn more about Helping Hand Home and how you can lend support at helpinghandhome.org.