Houston CPA Society To Hold Annual Clothing Drive For Star Of Hope Shelter

The Houston CPA Society has announced it will hold its annual food and clothing drive for the Star of Hope shelter on Sunday, Dec. 5, at the Jewish Community Center.
Hours for the drive will be 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. The Jewish Community Center is located at 5601 N. Braeswood Blvd. in Houston.
This is the 11^th year for the drive, which is coordinated by the Houston CPA Society in conjunction with B’nai B’rith, the Financial Planning Association, Temple Sinai Brotherhood and the Jewish Community Center.
Items accepted will include slightly used clothing, food, house wares, toiletries and new toys.
The Star of Hope has a specific need for the toiletries, according to Scott Arthur, director of public relations for the shelter.
“We have more people, half of them families and children, sleeping on the floor waiting for rooms and beds than we have ever had in the 103-year history of Star of Hope,” Arthur said.
Edward M. Gardner, a member of the Houston CPA Society, has organized collections for the Star of Hope for 30 years. In that time, he has helped collect enough clothing for 243,000 people, more than enough to fill every seat in Reliant Stadium three times with clothing for the needy.
“We can take little soaps, bottles of shampoo, shaving items, feminine items, towels and wash cloths, as well as blankets, sheets, towels, new underwear, and baby wipes,” Gardner said. Frequent flyers who have travel kits can turn them in here. Nonperishable food items, new toys, clean usable clothing and other household items are also welcome.”
Gardner added the Houston CPA Society will provide receipts for the tax deductible donations and the volunteers will retrieve the items from donor’s vehicles.
“You don’t even need to get out of the car,” he said.
Star of Hope has been the beneficiary of the Houston CPA Society drive for the past six years and is now the sole beneficiary.
Star of Hope serves almost 1,000 homeless men, women and children every day.
The Houston CPA Society is the largest chapter of the Texas Society of CPAs and the third largest CPA Chapter in the United States. It has more than 8,000 members in Houston and 13 surrounding counties.
In addition to providing continuing professional education to its members, the 82-year-old Houston CPA Society has donated millions of dollars to charities through its charity events and golf tournaments.
The society is the leading donor to Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana, giving more than $2 million in 20 years.
The organization’s “CPAs Helping Schools” program provides recognition and project funding for kindergarten-12th grade schools.
The society also delivers toys and books to 7,500 children in the Head Start program each year through “Santa CPAs,” and each spring, the Houston CPAs provide free tax help to international students.