BakerRipley

🦃 Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at BakerRipley! 🧡 This season, we’re thankful for our Neighbors, volunteers, and partners who make our mission possible every day. Please note our Thanksgiving holiday hours: November 24–26: Centers will close at 6 PM November 27–28: Centers will be closed December 1: We’ll reopen with normal operating hours We wish you and your loved ones a warm, safe, and joyful Thanksgiving! 🍁

It’s the time of year to come together and give thanks, and at our BakerRipley Senior Health and Wellness Centers, we’re doing just that. Last week, Neighbors gathered for Thanksgiving celebrations and received holiday turkeys through a special distribution supported by Jesse Carballo and his team. Thank you to Jesse and to everyone who donated turkeys to help make the holiday brighter for our seniors this year. We’re grateful to create welcoming spaces where older adults can gather, celebrate the season, and feel supported during the holidays. To learn more about BakerRipley Senior Health and Wellness Centers, click here: https://lnkd.in/g-RchiR3 🦃

Giving Tuesday is just one week away! 🧡 At BakerRipley, we empower individuals and strengthen communities every day. Your support brings hope and opportunity to Neighbors in need. Thank you for your generosity and commitment to making a difference. Give today: https://lnkd.in/gZxN8ku9

At our 2025 Heart of Gold Luncheon, we were proud to celebrate Gwen Emmett as this year’s Alice Graham Baker Award recipient. Gwen’s steady leadership, deep compassion, and unwavering commitment to community reflect the very spirit of our founder and the legacy that continues to guide BakerRipley today. Her work reminds us that when people come together to invest in their neighbors, opportunity grows and communities thrive. Watch the full video here: https://lnkd.in/gkxnu9Sd

Support from partners like H-E-B ensure BakerRipley’s community centers in East Aldine, the East End, Gulfton, and Pasadena continue to be a trusted resource for relief when disaster strikes, education for all ages, and community enrichment and engagement experiences. #HEBHelpingHere

Opportunity doesn’t just happen — it’s created. ✨ At BakerRipley, we’re setting the table of opportunity where every voice matters and every seat has a purpose. From education and workforce training to community programs, we’re helping Houston thrive one Neighbor at a time. 🪑 See how you can take your seat at the table. Visit bakerripley.org to get involved and help keep Houston a place of opportunity for everyone.

Last week, BakerRipley Board Chair Irma Diaz Gonzalez and her husband, Roberto Gonzalez, opened their home for an intimate salon evening with friends and supporters. 💫 Guests heard from President & CEO Claudia Aguirre about BakerRipley’s “table of opportunity” for Neighbors across Greater Houston, and how our programs in education, workforce, small business, and community centers help families earn, learn, belong, and be well. These salon gatherings are designed to spark meaningful conversations, build connections, and invite partners to walk alongside us in this work. Thank you to everyone who joined us to learn more about BakerRipley’s mission and the impact we are creating together for our Neighbors. 🧡 👉 Learn more about how you can get involved at BakerRipley.org.

🌟 Celebrating a Year of Impact 🌟 At Coffee With Comcast at the East Aldine Center, Ernest Lewis III and Chalise Pamplin accepted a generous donation check from Comcast to BakerRipley, supporting our work to connect communities to opportunity across Greater Houston. A huge thank you to Comcast for this meaningful gift and for their continued partnership in strengthening our neighborhoods. Image 1 (from left): Jose Espinel, Regional Senior VP, Comcast Melinda Little, VP of External Affairs, Comcast Ernest Lewis III, VP of Community Impact and Vitality, BakerRipley Chalise Pamplin, Corporate Relations Manager, BakerRipley State Rep. Armando Walle, Texas House District 140 Image 2 (from left): Chalise Pamplin, Corporate Relations Manager, BakerRipley Sucre Woodley, Senior Director of Communications, BakerRipley Misha McClure, Director of External Affairs, Comcast Ernest Lewis III, VP of Community Impact and Vitality, BakerRipley Thank you, Comcast and State Representative Armando Walle, for celebrating a year of impact with us and investing in Houston’s future. 🧡 #BakerRipley #Comcast #YearOfImpact

Every day, our volunteers make it possible to serve our Neighbors. Your time, energy, and compassion help families take their place at the table of opportunity. We’re so grateful for all you do, and the need is growing. We need more helping hands. ✨ Sign up to volunteer today and help us continue building a stronger, more connected Houston. https://lnkd.in/gRhBJ97B

BakerRipley’s 2025 Heart of Gold Luncheon brought together Houston’s philanthropic, business, and civic leaders for an inspiring afternoon honoring those who make a lasting difference in our region. This year’s honorees embodied what it means to have a heart of gold: 🏅 Gwen Emmett, Alice Graham Baker Award 🏅 Clyde Fitzgerald, Community Champion Award 🏅 Sam Zavary & Exclusive Furniture, Corporate Champion Award 🏅 Commissioner Adrian Garcia, Felix Fraga Public Service Award Thanks to our generous sponsors — Shell, The International Longshoremen’s Association, and Susan & Secretary James A. Baker — and to everyone who joined us to make this event a success. Proceeds from the luncheon will directly support BakerRipley’s community centers, helping families across Greater Houston access education, workforce training, and essential resources to build brighter futures. ✨ Read more about the event and see highlights on our blog at https://lnkd.in/d9Nrz8Sq