2026 Gala: The Magic of Nora’s Home

| 04.03.2026 | Yearly Events

Gala Raises Nearly $2M
for Nora’s Home Patient Families

On Thursday, March 26th, the Post Oak Hotel was transformed for annual Nora’s Home Gala: The Magic of Nora’s Home. It was truly a banner year for our mission: thanks to our supporters’ overwhelming generosity, we raised an incredible $1.7 million. These vital funds directly benefit our Adopt-A-Family program, ensuring that no transplant patient or family member is ever turned away from Nora’s Home due to an inability to pay.

From the moment gala guests arrived to the sight of soaring 20-foot pole swayers and chilled champagne, the evening delivered pure enchantment. The program, emceed by Lisa Malosky and led off with a poignant invocation by Trey Little, paired fine dining with a high-energy celebration of giving.

The room truly came alive during the “Paddles Up” appeal, where a spirited challenge match provided by the JLH Foundation—longtime champions of Nora’s Home—pushed the night’s momentum to new heights. A centerpiece of the evening featured Board Chairman and Founder, Dr. Osama Gaber honoring James and Carole Looke and their family with the Legacy Supporter Award, recognizing their enduring and transformative support over the years.

Between a live auction featuring everything from an Akaushi steer to an Argentinian hunt, a raffle for a luxurious staycation, and a spellbinding performance by magician Ben Jackson, the community’s generosity shone through, raising a record-breaking $1.7M+. As the program concluded, guests traded their auction paddles for dancing shoes to the sounds of DJ Larry Monks, celebrating a landmark night for the mission.

We express our deep gratitude for the support of our event underwriters, sponsors, and our incredible Host Committee. We are especially grateful to the Hern family for their generous challenge match. We also thank Lisa Malosky Productions and the team at In Any Event who were the “behind-the-scenes magicians” that really made the evening enchanting.

Missed the magic but still want to make an impact? You can help us continue providing a “home away from home” for transplant patients and their families by donating at norashome.org/give/give-now.