Skip to content

Nearby Cities

Sort By

Most Recently ReviewedMost ReviewedHighest RatingName

All issues

Katy Nonprofits and Charities

Pin Oak Charity Horse Show Association

10 Reviews
rating starrating starrating starrating starrating star
Katy, TX
Search Box Image
kbcooper

Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is one of Houston’s most treasured and distinguished annual events. Without the show, there might not be the internationally recognized Texas Children’s Hospital we know today. And today, Pin Oak is helping launch the Texas Children’s of tomorrow by supporting Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. <br>Together, The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show and Texas Children’s Hospital helped shape the landscape of the Medical Center, and thus the city of Houston, more than 50 years ago. The event that became known as The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show got its start and its name in 1945 when legendary businessman-philanthropist Jim Abercrombie agreed to underwrite and host a charitable fundraising horse show at the Pin Oak Stables he had built for his daughter, award-winning equestrienne Josephine Abercrombie. The 1947 show provided a significant portion of the initial backing that established Texas Children’s in the Texas Medical Center, the first hospital in Houston dedicated to children. Continuing financial support from this distinguished event truly helped sustain Texas Children’s as it grew to become one of the nation’s top-ranked, full-care pediatric hospitals. <br>In the midst of the show’s international reputation and growing success, Pin Oak’s board and volunteers never lose sight of the cause at its heart: to raise philanthropic funds for Houston’s children. Every email, every news release, every web page, every letter and flyer the organization distributes refers to the show’s charitable purpose, and everyone involved knows exactly what their work supports. Since the first show 66 years ago, the organization has contributed in excess of $5.5 million to charities, including well over $4 million to Texas Children’s Hospital, and aims at making a six-figure gift each year to its charities. <br>Knowing the value of putting the face on the charity that the sponsors and competitors are helping support, Pin Oak volunteers bring them together with Texas Children’s patients and families in a number of ways. For Pin Oak’s “Art Reach” projects, volunteers from the organization visit Texas Children’s Cancer Center and work with children who are in the clinic to create art pieces that are auctioned at various Pin Oak functions during the year. One such piece was donated back to the hospital by the successful bidder and now hangs in the West Campus hematology/oncology clinic waiting room where Pin Oak’s generosity to the new hospital is recognized. During the show, riders visit patients in the hospital, and patients and their families are hosted for tours of the grounds and honored at one of the Grand Prix galas. <br>In addition, ticket holders often donate their tickets back so that Texas Children’s patients and families at Ronald McDonald House can attend the show. This year, Channel 13 purchased two gala tables and set them aside for Pin Oak’s Honor Heroes—two young patients selected by Texas Children’s social workers to represent the hospital. The little Heroes and their families rode in the Pin Oak carriage for the evening’s opening ceremonies and had the unique opportunity of experiencing the full effect of the show while serving as captivating reminders of the event’s ultimate purpose. <br>The energy, the vision, the commitment and the sheer hard work it takes to present The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show year after year, along with the true spirit of philanthropy of everyone connected with the show, makes this phenomenal endeavor unquestionably an outstanding fundraising event that Houston is proud to call its own.

Search Box Image

Rainforest Connection

1 Reviews
rating starrating starrating starrating starrating star
Katy, TX
Search Box Image
Ross_G

Rainforest Connection (RFCX) modifies cellphones and attaches them high up on select trees in forests needing protection from loggers and poachers.<br />Doing so allows the forests to "defend themselves", by detecting, and texting, the location of offenders.<br />The cellphones save those forests, and help stop the #2 cause of Global Warming - deforestation.<br />Through my interest in environmental issues, I became aware of RFCX.<br />I watched videos of their volunteers, and indeed the founder himself, Topher White, risking their lives to climb very high on trees to attach their cellphone payloads.<br />I had recently filed a patent for an idea I had for a tree-climbing robot. <br />I contacted Topher, who expressed keen interest in obtaining some to try out.<br />I then spent my own money and even borrowed against my home, to commission 4 Penn State University (PSU) projects, to build the robot, as well as a manually powered version.<br />2 of my 4 student-led projects beat out over 70 major corporation sponsor such as NASA, Ford, GM, Boeing, etc., for the two top awards as 'Best Project'.<br />My robot's mission would be to carry the cellphone array up the tree as high as desired, attach it, and return to be reused on another tree. This robot could also be used to detach the cellphone at some point in the future if needed.<br />Use of a properly engineered version would have the following benefits:<br />1) Risk of life or injury to RFCX volunteers would disappear<br />2) Deployment speed should greatly improve, permitting his teams to work much faster, and protect far more forests.<br />3) Deployment height should be improved, since the height humans can rope climb is limited by the height their slingshot can launch their rope. Higher height improves the cellphone range, so fewer deployments are needed.<br />4) Higher height makes the cellphone arrays more 'stealthy', reducing their risk of being detected and destroyed.<br />5) Higher height into the canopy increases solar gain for the solar panels.<br />However I ran out of funds to commission an additional project for creating the cellphone attachment device.<br />So although I proved the concept works, I was unable to complete a version fully capable of doing Topher's entire mission.<br />Being awarded this fund would permit me to commission a PSU project for enough units to meet all of Topher's requirements to attach and detach his cellphone forest-protectors, and permit me to fulfill a life-goal.<br />Ross Garside

latest_news_iconGet Our Latest News

Are you a NonProfit?

Message Box
Get visibility and free tools for your nonprofit today!
Palomacy Pigeon

0 Reviews
empty starempty starempty starempty starempty star
Reviewed by

Hot Topics

Nonprofits and Charities in Other Cities
Whether your causes are animal shelters, food banks, or breast cancer groups, you'll find real nonprofit reviews you can trust at GreatNonprofits.
Millions of nonprofit clients, donors, and volunteers have shared their candid reviews of charities, nonprofits, and social enterprises.
Add your nonprofit reviews and help other donors and volunteers find a great nonprofit.

Find Nonprofits and Charities

Want to donate to or volunteer for a charity or nonprofit? See ratings and reviews. Find top-rated nonprofits and charities and start volunteering or donating today.

Browse by State and City

footerlogo
GreatNonprofits amplifies the voices of people who’ve seen nonprofit impact firsthand — clients, donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries. Read their stories. Find trusted nonprofits. And support the causes that matter to you.

Top Cities

Top Causes

    @ 2026 GreatNonprofits. GreatNonprofits is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. EIN 68-0224596 Terms and Privacy.
    Scroll to Top Icon