New Houston Manager, Mimi Bates

Hi everybody, I just wanted to introduce myself as the new Houston Manager at HFC!
I am soooo excited to be a part of this amazing organization and to be able to work for such a wonderful mission! I am going to be serving the Houston area as we grow the awareness of HFC through this charitable community. I am a native Houstonian and graduated from Texas A&M University in 2006. I worked as a teacher for the two years following college at a school for families in poverty, called Yellowstone Academy. There, I was able to forge lasting relationships with children and friends that touched my heart forever. I gained experience managing dedicated volunteers and realized how vital they were to our school's success! This is a fact that I know is true at HFC as well. I also have experience with non-profit event planning as a volunteer for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. My mother was diagnosed with MS about 10 years ago and my family and I have been involved in the MS150 ever since. Every year at the MS150 finish line, my mom would wait for my family to cross and blow bubbles so they could easily recognize her. One scorching hot year she collapsed from her sensitivity to heat and had to be cared for in the ambulance on location. This incident sparked an idea in her creative mind. For 3 years now, "The Bubble Bistro" has grown into a sparkling success! What started out as a collection of a few MS patients blowing bubbles in the shade at the finish line has now evolved into a big tent with blowing fans, misting machines, cool beverages, and is a safe place for MS patients to watch and cheer on riders pass the finish line!
With these experiences driving me, I look forward to carrying out HFC's mission to help pediatric cancer patients and their families. I am already so impressed with the people who support HFC and know that together we can make great strides towards our goal!
Thank you for your support and encouragement!
Mimi Bates