Katy Christian Ministries held its first “Harvest of Hope” fundraising luncheon on October 8, in lieu of its annual gala. About 100 community members filled the seats at the event at the Grand Upper Room, 23161 Morton Ranch Road in Katy. The festivities included a silent auction, raffle prizes and items for purchase in addition to appetizers and lunch. Maida Guillen, economic development manager at Harris County Precinct 4, emceed the event.

The local nonprofit, which operates two resale stores, a food distribution center, a social services center and a crisis center, is based at 3506 Porter Road in Katy.

“Katy is a community that refuses to let anyone carry their burdens alone,” said KCM Executive Directory Kyle Strickland in his opening remarks. “Your support gives life and momentum to our mission.”

Jerry Ashworth, senior vice president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital and Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital, the event’s title sponsor, said that the hospital system has supported Katy Christian Ministries for over four decades. The care that KCM offers to patients in crisis after they are discharged from the hospital is critical to their recovery – from assistance with food and rent to social services to counseling for victims of domestic violence. “KCM ensures that someone never walks through these difficult moments alone,” Ashworth said.

Sharon Zachary, Chief Executive Officer of the Alliance of Community Assistance Ministries (ACAM), a 501(c)(3) management support organization in the Greater Houston area, also spoke at the event. Zachary noted the growth in the Katy area but said that needs in the community continue to grow as well. Zachary cited concerns about the growth in the number of economically disadvantaged students now being served by the Katy Independent School District, a category she said had grown by 43 percent. These are not children living below the federal poverty line but those still experiencing financial hardship. School meals help bridge the gap, Zachary said, but children still need dinner and food on weekends and during school breaks.

In Harris County more than 26,000 people do live below the federal poverty line, with 8,000 of those being children, she said. About 21,000 are at risk of becoming homeless, since the households are now spending more than 50 percent of their gross incomes on housing costs. Zachary described the impact that KCM has had in the 42 years since its founding, with the organization offering a path to recovery from a setback, whether that is a job loss, a medical crisis, or the loss of a partner or other life-changing event. Since 2015 KCM has served 133,000 people in 48,000 families, with an investment of more than $7 million in the community, she said.

Strickland also detailed the recently launched “Endurance Fund” which will raise money for KCM. Thanks to an extraordinary and generous matching gift pledge from an anonymous friend of KCM, every

dollar donated to the nonprofit from now until December 31, 2026, will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $250,000, he said. The effort will allow KCM to start the new yar with $500,000 in order to continue its work.

To learn more about Katy Christian Ministries, or to learn how to donate, go to https://ktcm.org.