Lance Avery Morgan
With A Bold Viva Las Vegas Theme And A Deep Commitment To Mentorship, The Duo Is Creating An Evening Where Elegance, Community, And Impact Take Center Stage
In Texas, and in Austin’s philanthropic landscape, certain evenings rise above the calendar and become true moments of community. Dinner With Friends, benefiting Friends of the Children Austin, has become one of those rare gatherings: an event where generosity meets purpose and where the stories shared at the table resonate long after the final toast. This year, Co-chairs Ali Atlas and Lauren Liggett are raising the stakes with a dazzling Viva Las Vegas theme, promising a glamorous evening at Austin Proper Hotel on Friday, May 1st, that blends style, energy, and meaningful impact, as our philanthropy chronicler, Lance Avery Morgan, learned when he caught up with the duo.
Photography courtesy of Friends Of The Children Austin
A Shared Commitment
For Ali Atlas, saying yes to co-chairing the evening was both personal and deeply meaningful. Her family has been connected to the organization since its earliest days in Austin. “Friends of the Children isn’t just an organization we support; it’s something our family helped build from the beginning,” Atlas shares. “We believed in the model when Austin was still just an idea, and watching it grow into one of the city’s most impactful nonprofits has been incredibly meaningful.”
For Lauren Liggett, the connection may be newer, but it quickly became just as powerful. “My family just learned of Friends of the Children last year and have quickly become deeply involved because we wholeheartedly believe in the mission,” she says. “And the cherry on top is two best friends co-chairing this fantastic event together.”
That shared enthusiasm and genuine friendship have become one of the defining ingredients of the event’s planning.
Viva Las Vegas, Austin Style
This year’s theme, Viva Las Vegas, promises bold glamour and lively energy, and the co-chairs are determined to keep the evening sophisticated. “Viva Las Vegas captures optimism and momentum, and that’s exactly what Friends represents,” Atlas explains. “We chose Vegas because it lends itself to an energetic atmosphere, which hopefully encourages our friends to be in the giving spirit. Who doesn’t love a good ‘Vegas’ night and giving back?”
The celebration will take place at downtown’s Austin Proper Hotel, whose design-forward interiors offer the perfect backdrop for a glamorous transformation. Liggett explains the vision: “The Austin Proper has such a distinct point of view, design-forward yet welcoming, and we’re deeply appreciative of their generosity in hosting. Rather than transform the space, we’re layering into it. Dramatic lighting, rich textures, fun moments of surprise. Elevated, vibrant, and intimate.”
A Perfect Partnership
Planning a major philanthropic event requires both creativity and strategy, and Atlas and Liggett’s complementary styles have made the process seamless.
“We approach it from slightly different angles,” Atlas says. “I focus first on mission alignment, making sure every detail reinforces why we’re there. Liggett has a remarkable instinct for how an evening feels from the guest’s perspective. Dinner with Friends has set a very high standard in Austin. Our job is to honor that legacy while continuing to raise it.”
The event’s reputation is no small matter. In recent years, Dinner With Friends has become one of Austin’s most successful charitable gatherings of its size.
Why The Mission Matters
At the heart of the evening is the work of Friends of the Children Austin, which pairs children facing systemic barriers with professional mentors beginning in kindergarten and continuing through high school graduation.
For Liggett, that long-term commitment is what makes the organization extraordinary. “Each child is paired with a professional mentor from kindergarten through high school graduation. That consistency changes trajectories, not just outcomes,” she says. “Both of us are parents of young children, and we’re constantly reminded how much stability shapes confidence. Every child deserves someone who shows up for them, year after year.”
Atlas also points to the nonprofit’s remarkable stewardship. “Because the board covers 100 percent of overhead and administrative costs, every dollar of net proceeds raised at Dinner with Friends goes directly to program support,” she notes. “That level of stewardship is rare… and it matters. Friends’ high-touch model today can add 20 to 30 of the most at-risk kindergarteners in Austin each year, but the city’s need is unfortunately far higher. Through a successful Dinner With Friends event and the support of the organization’s incredible donors, we’re able to help come closer to matching Austin’s growing need.”
Premier live auctioneer Lydia Fenet, in from Manhattan, will oversee the evening’s bidding to raise those much-needed funds.
Glamour With Heart
While the Vegas theme promises plenty of sparkle, the co-chairs are determined to keep the evening deeply personal.
“The stories are always the center,” Atlas says. “When you hear about the relationships between Friends and their youth, you understand why it is annually the most successful charitable event of its size. We’re also intentional about creating space for real connections at each table. Dinner With Friends doesn’t feel like a gala, it feels like a shared commitment.”
Measuring Success
And yes, there will be at least one surprise.
Liggett hints with a smile: “There is a special after-party for our High Rollers. If you love helping the children most at risk of being left behind in Austin, or you just love Vegas, you won’t want to miss out.”
For Atlas and Liggett, a successful evening goes far beyond beautiful décor or full tables.
“Success is when guests understand both the mission and the impact, not only on the children in the program, but on the greater Austin community as Friends helps flip the cycle of generational poverty,” Liggett shares.
If attendees leave inspired, informed, and ready to stay engaged, the co-chairs consider the evening a triumph.
The Feeling They Hope Guests Carry Home
In the end, both women agree that the evening is about something much larger than a single event.
Liggett sums it up simply, stating, “Optimism, grounded in action.” Atlas adds, “Real change is happening in Austin, child by child, relationship by relationship. And everyone in that room is part of that story.”
With friendship at the helm and a powerful mission guiding the night, this year’s Dinner With Friends promises to prove that when Austin gathers around the table, extraordinary things happen.
To support the Dinner With Friends event, visit here.
