Luncheon to honor AT LAST! founder

By Juliette Coulter

VolunteerNow has set its Hearts of Texas Luncheon for April 18 at the Arts District Mansion, with a reception at 11:30 a.m. followed by the luncheon at noon. For 17 years, the centerpiece of this event has been the Lifetime Achievement Award, and this year’s honoree is Randy Bowman, businessman, nonprofit founder and philanthropist. He joins the ranks of notable community leaders such as the late Ruth Altshuler, Lyda Hill, Erle Nye, Roger Staubach and former First Lady Laura Bush. 

VolunteerNow will also recognize and honor Community Partners of Dallas with the Ruth Collins Sharp Altshuler Award for excellent stewardship of volunteers. Lewisville ISD will receive the Tammy Richards Impact Award for driving greater volunteer impact through their partnership with VOLY.org. 

Rachel Currie Triska, VolunteerNow CEO, said: “Every year at Hearts of Texas, we bring together people with BIG hearts doing BIG good in the BIG D and beyond. This year, we look forward to celebrating Randy’s outstanding achievements, and Community Partners of Dallas and Lewisville ISD for the exceptional work they and their volunteers do every day. The event is held in April during National Volunteer Month to highlight the power of volunteerism to create the change we want to see in the world.”

Luncheon Chair Chitra Raman added, “Through a fireside chat led by Gordon Keith of The Ticket, we will hear about Randy Bowman’s legacy and his devotion to his mother, Annie Lois Hunt Bowman, who inspired him to achieve and serve in transformative ways. He is an extraordinary leader and dedicated civic contributor whose service is an inspiration to us all, and we are excited to honor him.”

Bowman is known as an innovator in law and business, building successful careers in both, including 17 years as president of the successful logistics company he co-founded. He has served Dallas for decades, including as chair of Parkland Foundation, Employee Retirement Fund of the City of Dallas and Impact Dallas Capital boards. But in philanthropy, he is best known as the founder, CEO and driving force behind AT LAST! — The Urban Boarding Experience 

Born into an impoverished family, Bowman possesses a unique understanding and respect for the challenges faced by such families, and an acute belief that stability and home life resources are fundamental to enabling children to learn.  On March 7, 2021, his idea manifested in launching AT LAST!, a weekday boarding experience for kids in poverty. Today, AT LAST! ensures that elementary school-aged children from impoverished families have the types of educational resources available to them during the home life portion of the school day that are available to children living in more prosperous households. Bowman said, “I regard myself as the product of an amazing earthly mother and a grace-yielding Heavenly Father, and I want my work to reflect my unending gratitude to each.”

To purchase tickets and for more information, visit volnow.org/heartsoftexas.