Ben E. Keith is honored to announce a donation of $100,000 to Nexus Family Recovery Center, helping to successfully close out Phase 1 of their Recovery Rising Campaign and meet their fundraising goal of $10 million. Nexus Family Recovery Center is a vital resource for individuals and families facing substance use disorders (SUD), providing comprehensive, family-centered care that addresses homelessness, family disruption, economic hardship, and incarceration. The funds will be used to bring the Doswell Medical Building to life, creating a new gateway to the Nexus campus that will house essential services such as Admissions, Detox, and Medication-Assisted Treatment.

“Recovery and health services is a top priority, so Nexus was a natural fit with the mission of the Ben E. Keith Foundation. Alcoholism and substance abuse has affected members of my family, so it is important to us to help give to organizations that can facilitate healing in various communities,” said Louise Hallam, Vice President, Philanthropy and Community Involvement, Ben E. Keith. “I had the opportunity many years ago to do service work on the Nexus campus. I got to experience first-hand how special the connection of these women coming together to support one another to overcome their addictions truly is. It gives them a safe community for their children to get better as well. Nexus truly is a magical place.”

In April 2022, Nexus launched the Recovery Rising Campaign with an ambitious goal of raising $86 million to address critical capital, programming, and capacity needs. As part of the transformative five-phase Campus Vision Plan, the entire Nexus campus will undergo a complete renewal, expansion, and revitalization. By 2031, this effort will double Nexus’ capacity, ensuring future generations have access to a state-of-the-art recovery community.

“Ben E. Keith’s generosity has been instrumental in helping Nexus Family Recovery Center advance our mission of empowering women and families on their journey to recovery. Their recent $100,000 gift helped us close out Phase 1 of our Recovery Rising campaign, which brought the Doswell Medical Building to life—an essential space for providing critical medical and behavioral health services. We are deeply grateful for their commitment to making a lasting impact on the women and children we serve." stated Heather Ormand, CEO, Nexus Family Recovery Center.

For more than a century, Ben E. Keith has been a leader in fine food and premium beverage distribution. The food division is a complete broad line distributor servicing twenty states, and the beverage division serves more than 62 Texas counties and is a proud distributor of Anheuser-Busch InBev products, craft and import beer brands, spirits, fine wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. Ben E. Keith is dedicated to the growth and success of their customers, industry partners, and employees—continuing their commitment to delivering quality since 1906. Beyond this meaningful contribution, Ben E. Keith has been a dedicated annual sponsor of the Nexus Auxiliary Brunch & Bazaar since its inception in 2021, aligning with Nexus’ mission to bring hope and healing to those affected by substance use disorder.

The 15th Annual Symphony of Chefs was held on Monday, February 24 at Astoria Event Venue. This event is a unique experience unlike any other chef-driven charity event in the DFW Metroplex in that the city's most notable chefs participate in a culinary evening that is out of this world. Guests enjoy a chef-prepared & interactive four-course dinner, wine pairings from some of the world’s best vineyards, a silent auction of experiences and much more! Honorary Chef Chairs Janice Provost, Chef & Owner of Parigi and Dan Landsberg, Executive Chef of The Texas Barn at Circle T Ranch, were the driving forces behind this year’s ultimate chef-driven culinary dinner experience benefiting KidLinks. Notable supporters in attendance included Founding Event Chairs Bonnie and Nathan Shea, Cristi and Kevin Ryan, Jodie and John Ludwig, and Lisa & Stuart Sides.

The evening kicked off with hors d’oeuvres prepared by James Ash of Harwood Hospitality Group and a luxurious caviar bar hosted by Black River Caviar. While guests shopped the silent auction, a livestream of Chef Ash preparing these delicious bites was shown. Hamilton A Sneed of HAS Events was the visionary behind this culinary concept. DJ Yojina set the vibe spinning tunes as guests entered through draped curtains, revealing tables placed throughout Astoria’s spacious setting. The scene was set for what was a lively evening of culinary composition. The reception was followed by a seated dinner where 17 of Dallas’ most notable chefs prepared a unique four-course dinner tableside for guests with wine pairings from Banfi Wines, Delicato Family Wines, Willamette Valley Vineyards, HALL Wines, Copper Cane Wines, Riboli Family Wines, Rootstock Wines, Times Ten Cellars, Sonoma Time, and Lewis Cellars.

In addition to Honorary Chef Chairs Janice Provost and Dan Landsberg, participating chefs included Uno Immanivong, Chef & Owner of Red Stix Asian Street Food; Brendan Lee Davey, Executive Chef of Ellie's Lounge & Restaurant at Hall Arts Hotel; Giuliano Matarese of Miss Pasta; Estephan Fernandez, Executive Chef of Truluck's; Nikky Phinyawatana, Owner/CEO of Asian Mint Restaurant Group; Jennie Kelley and Brandon Moore, Co-Chefs & Owners of Fond; Aubrey Murphy, Executive Chef of SĒR Steak + Spirits; Miriam Jimenez, General Manager & Partner of Miriam Cocina Latina; Mollie Guerra, Owner of Chef Mollie G, LLC;Rodman Shields, Senior Culinary Director of Milkshake Concepts; Aaron Collins, Chef de Cuisine of Café Momentum; Carlos Ayala, Sous Chef of Nick & Sam's; Michael Matis, Chef de Cuisine of Fearing's; Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman, Executive Chef of José; and Mario Hernandez, Executive Chef of NURI Steakhouse. Following the coursed-dinner, Featured Pastry Chef Yasmin Mondragon, Pastry Chef at Eataly Dallas at NorthPark Center created masterful desserts as an ending note to the evening.

Sarah Blaskovich, Food Writer for The Dallas Morning News, served as the evening’s emcee and introduced Temira and Jerry Wagner, who shared how music therapy sessions provided by KidLinks had impacted their son, Jerry Allen Wagner II (whom they affectionately call JAWS), who was was diagnosed at 9 months with a rare chromosome deletion. He has complex medical care needs along with developmental delay and is on the spectrum for Autism. JAWS is non-verbal, but music communicates to him and thanks to several years of KidLinks therapy, now communicates via beats by clapping along with the tempo, using some sign language, and can now wave a lot to say "Hi!"

Temira also shared, “Seeing the quality sessions and outcomes helped us to see the value and importance of such work. We had an in-depth conversation at our church, Disciple City Church and by mid-summer 2024, KidLinks was able to launch a music therapy clinic at our church in Oak Cliff. Typically, in urban and rural communities, families must commute far for services and even spend more for quality sessions. Now, families in the Oak Cliff area and in neighboring communities have better access to these blessings of services.”

Paul Pass, Co-Executive Director (Development) of KidLinks addressed the room saying, "For over four decades, KidLinks has positively impacted more than 439,000 children and caregivers through direct service programs and thousands more through our online platforms. We have provided healing and therapeutic music through a library of songs, in-hospital performances at special care centers, and board-certified music therapy sessions. Your support of this event helps to fund resources that build children’s self-esteem and help them navigate physical, social, and emotional needs.Together, we can spread the power of music, giving kids throughout North Texas the confidence to let their light shine and realize their potential!" Learn more about KidLinks at www.kidlinks.org

The popular McKinney brunch destination, Broken Yolk Cafe, is serving up some holiday cheer iin December with the debut of two new seasonal items: a Snickerdoodle Latte and the Carrot Waffle Cake. Perfect for adding a little bit of festive spirit to your morning, both of these new offerings are bursting with seasonal flavors. First up, the Snickerdoodle Latte is an espresso-based seasonal sipper, flavored with cinnamon bun and cookie butter syrups, milk, vanilla cream, and a hint of cinnamon sugar. This drink can be enjoyed hot or iced so you can enjoy the sweet flavors your way. On the other hand, the new Carrot Waffle Cake is a seasonal treat that consists of a cinnamon-infused cake batter studded with raisins and shredded carrots. The cake is then topped with powdered sugar, cream cheese icing, and candied pecans for a festive touch. Both items will be available Dec. 1-30, 2024. Broken Yolk Cafe is located at 6651 Alma Rd Suite 250, McKinney, TX 75070, (214) 504-1672, https://www.thebrokenyolkcafe.com/location/mckinney/

Trinity Falls shone brightly on November 14^th as realtors, social media influencers, and Christmas tree decorators gathered for the highly anticipated Media First Look Brunch, launching the community's annual Tour of Trees Model Home Showcase. The model homes showcased the creative brilliance of Christmas tree styling providing a memorable experience for attendees and setting the stage for the holiday season.

The highlight of the morning was the unveiling of the collaborative Christmas tree by entrepreneur and Bravo Reality TV Star and former Real Housewives of Dallas cast member D'Andra Simmons, titled Honey Bee Haven. D'Andra shared her inspiration behind the tree design, which combined holiday elegance with a whimsical nod to nature's pollinators. Guests also enjoyed her signature cocktail, The Holibee, which added a delightful twist to the festive ambiance.

Attendees were treated to a beautiful brunch featuring a spread of breakfast quiche, decadent French toast, a colorful dessert bar, and customizable mimosa and coffee bars. The festive atmosphere was enhanced by the charm of local celebrity tree stylist and Christmas social media influencer, Antoinette Boston, who hosted an engaging Q&A session. Antoinette shared styling tips and trends to inspire holiday decorators and enthusiasts alike.

Throughout the morning, attendees enjoyed a self-guided tour of 10 spectacularly decorated Christmas trees, each offering a unique vision of holiday cheer. Realtors and influencers captured the magic of the event, amplifying the holiday spirit across social media platforms and sparking excitement for the upcoming season at Trinity Falls.

"The Media First Look Brunch was not only a celebration of the start of the holidays but also an opportunity to showcase the vibrancy and growth of Trinity Falls," said C'Ella Clayton, Marketing Director for Trinity Falls by Johnson Development. "This event is a testament to our commitment to creating unforgettable experiences for our residents and visitors while building lasting connections within the master-planned community."

The event is free and open to the public until Dec. 15th, ensuring everyone can enjoy the sights, sounds, and wonders of the holiday season. For more information about the Tour of Trees event, please visit https://www.trinityfalls.com/tour-trees.