Rob Giardinelli
Mack, Jack & McConaughey And Others Receive Philanthropic Recognition
By Rob Giardinelli Photography by Buster Jetter and Helping Hand Home
THE SCENE: The JW Marriott Hotel in downtown Austin was the setting for one of the Capital City’s most anticipated and successful luncheons. Nearly 1,000 of the area’s top community leaders, advocates, sociables, and philanthropists attended the annual Champions for Children Luncheon. Benefiting Helping Hand Home, the afternoon featured a special mix of community, celebrity, and philanthropy that left guests feeling uplifted and inspired.
THE VIBE: The cocktail-attired crowd featured a mix of sundresses, cocktail dresses, open-collared suits, and traditional suits in an array of prints, neutrals, colors, and metallics. The result was a warm, welcoming environment where everyone felt like family.
The festivities began with a VIP reception, where select guests mingled and posed for photos with the afternoon’s honorees. After which, the crowd moved to the JW Marriott Ballroom Foyer for a pre-event reception where old friends took the opportunity to catch up and pose for keepsake images on the step-and-repeat.
The action then moved to the JW Marriott ballroom for the main program, where Daytripper host Chet Garner served as emcee, keeping the festivities moving at a fun, brisk pace. After brief words from organization and event leaders thanking them for being part of such a memorable afternoon, attendees had the opportunity to mingle with their tablemates over a delectable multi-course lunch.
After lunch, the main event of the afternoon honored individuals and organizations for their work championing children’s causes over the years. These honorees included Dr. Robin Ward Del Conte, Jocelyn Chamra-Barrera, and Alpha Xi Delta at the University of Texas at Austin.
Next, Mack Brown accepted the Philanthropic Honoree Award on behalf of Mack, Jack, and McConaughey, an annual fundraising gala hosted by Mack and Sally Brown, Jack Ingram, & Camilla and Matthew McConaughey that has raised an astounding $78 million for Austin-based children’s nonprofit organizations over the past 13 years. The afternoon was capped off with words from the afternoon’s keynote speaker, Friday Night Lights star Connie Britton. Britton dazzled the crowd with her stories of motherhood and thanked those in the room for supporting Helping Hand Home and its causes, which have positively impacted so many lives in the Central Texas community.
THE NON-PROFIT: The 2025 Champions for Children Luncheon, co-chaired by Ed Clements, Tina McCutchin, and Lindsey Sartain, raised over $900,000 for Helping Hand Home. For over 130 years, Helping Hand Home has provided hope and healing to children and families in the Austin area through trauma-informed therapeutic care, and residential, adoption, and support services. Proceeds raised from the event will fund these programs.
