Picnic with a Purpose benefitting SEARCH Homeless
We’re excited to share our first Making a Difference article, highlighting the recent Picnic with a Purpose event from November, chaired by Heather Shepherd! We had the chance to connect with Heather to learn more about this wonderful organization and the incredible work it does in our community.
1. What made this year’s Picnic with a Purpose special, and how did the event reflect SEARCH’s mission to help people move from the streets into safe, stable housing?
This year’s Picnic With a Purpose went beyond fundraising, bringing the community together for live music, food, and education to show supporters who SEARCH serves and how. Jason and I wanted guests to understand the journey from homelessness to stability and how their donations make an impact.
We shared real stories of individuals who moved from the streets into permanent housing, highlighting how outreach, case management, mental-health support, and employment services transform lives. This personal connection made the event more than a fundraiser—it was a reminder that homelessness has solutions, and SEARCH is delivering them daily.
The event reflected SEARCH’s values of dignity, community, and hope. From the welcoming environment to the program that centered clients’ voices, everything underscored that everyone deserves stability and opportunity. Guests left inspired, seeing how their support moves people into stable housing—one relationship, one caseworker, and one home at a time—and were given supply boxes to immediately participate in SEARCH’s work.
2. Every dollar raised supports programs like the House of Tiny Treasures preschool. Can you share how the event helps give children affected by homelessness a stronger start?
Money raised from Picnic With a Purpose goes directly to The House of Tiny Treasures, providing high-quality early childhood education, trauma-informed therapy, nutritious meals, and stability for Houston’s youngest learners experiencing homelessness. Every dollar helps a child feel safe, supported, and on the path to thrive while their families work toward leaving the streets.
Money raised from Picnic With a Purpose goes directly to The House of Tiny Treasures, providing high-quality early childhood education, trauma-informed therapy, nutritious meals, and stability for Houston’s youngest learners experiencing homelessness. Every dollar helps a child feel safe, supported, and on the path to thrive while their families work toward leaving the streets.
3. SEARCH focuses on helping people not just find housing, but stay housed. How will the funds raised support those ongoing services?
Funds raised directly support the services that help people stay housed. SEARCH’s model doesn’t end when someone receives keys—that’s where the real work begins. These funds provide long-term case management, mental-health support, employment guidance, transportation assistance, and daily problem-solving that prevents someone from returning to the streets. They also ensure families with pets can keep their pets in their new homes.
Funds raised directly support the services that help people stay housed. SEARCH’s model doesn’t end when someone receives keys—that’s where the real work begins. These funds provide long-term case management, mental-health support, employment guidance, transportation assistance, and daily problem-solving that prevents someone from returning to the streets. They also ensure families with pets can keep their pets in their new homes.
4. For 2026, are there any upcoming initiatives or events the community should know about?
SEARCH’s new Downtown Houston Headquarters is opening in 2026, and the Annual Homeless Services Luncheon will be held April 29th!
SEARCH’s new Downtown Houston Headquarters is opening in 2026, and the Annual Homeless Services Luncheon will be held April 29th!