Charity there for her; now she’s there for it

Irene Skor, who served as one of the co-chairs of the 14th annual Jeans and Jewels Gala on Oct. 27, has a great reason to support Northwest Assistance Ministries. For her, it is personal.

“When one of my daughters was growing up, she was in another city,” Skor said. “She needed to find a family violence shelter, so I called NAM here in Houston, and they were able to place her in a shelter in another city.”

It makes sense that Skor, a 30-year Houston resident, wanted to remain involved with the organization that had been such a great help to her and her family, so in the years since, she has continued to work closely with NAM both to raise money and awareness of the benefits they can provide.

When NAM asked her to serve as one of the co-chairs of the fundraising gala, along with Jennifer Grigsby and Lauren Temple, she agreed right away.

“I viewed it as a way to give back to my community,” she said.

The Jeans and Jewels Gala, which Skor refers to as a “Texas-size party,” usually brings in more than half a million dollars for NAM. The night is filled with food and fun, as well as a silent auction where attendees can bid on an array of items, with all proceeds going to NAM. This year, the band Two Tons of Steel provided entertainment, and auction items ranged from hotel reward points to an exquisitely handcrafted quilt.

She has even turned the gala into a family event, and she is especially proud that four of her five daughters attended this year.

In addition to helping others, Skor says that her involvement with the fundraiser has developed skills she might have never otherwise gained.

“I have been pushed to learn how to become more tech-savvy,” Skor said. “In my generation, I wasn’t raised with computers, so it helped me to hone my own personal skills.”

As a retired lab technician who is married to a physician, Skor understands the importance of creating a healthy environment, which she says NAM can help become a reality.

“I’ve developed a special interest in health and wellbeing, and educating the public about how important it is to care for yourself,” Skor said. “And that ties into NAM because they have a clinic there, and they are helping the needy

ABOUT IRENE SKOR
AGE: 68
OCCUPATION: Retired lab technician
COMMUNITY CONNECTION: Spring resident
FAST FACT: Served on the board of the American Medical Association