Over $80,000 raised for YES to YOUTH at the 5th Annual “Shelter for Shelter”

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- The showroom of Mercedes-Benz of The Woodlands was aglow with purple accent party lights and beating with fun DJ music on the evening of June 10 as the fifth annual “Shelter for Shelter” fundraising event entertained guests while it raised a whopping total of $82,665 to benefit YES to YOUTH.

YES to YOUTH (formerly known as Montgomery County Youth Services) is a non-profit organization that provides crisis counseling, residential shelter programs, mental health services, prevention services and empowerment to young people in order to strengthen families, teach the youth that they are worth it, they deserve safety and security, and they will succeed in life.

Proceeds from the sponsorships, ticket sales, and donations given at the event will be used primarily to support the charity’s mental health and homeless services, which are currently top urgent priorities, as well as fund the shelter expansion’s ongoing needs such as utilities, food, clothing and daily living supplies.

Zach Richmond, who serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for YES to YOUTH, created the “Shelter for Shelter” fundraising event in 2017 along with his business partner (and mother-in-law), Marlys Mulkey, both of Richmond Realty Group RE/MAX The Woodlands & Spring.

Nearly doubling its original goal, this year’s fundraising success was attributed to the approximately 200 caring folks in attendance (with COIVD-19 safety precautions in place) and more than 50 sponsors.

Guests mingled and networked while enjoying delicious food and libations graciously served at decorated table-clothed stations by Black Walnut, Chick-fil-A – College Park, Fielding’s, Glade| Properties by Tiffany, Kirby’s Prime Steakhouse, Southern Star Brewing Co., Tommy Bahama, and Truluck’s.

The charming emcee Hunter Strong took the stage for the second year in a row to rally the crowd and facilitate comments from Zach Richmond and YES to YOUTH’s CEO Dannette Suding and Chief Operations Officer Penny Wilson. Strong also helped present each sponsor with a ribboned medal of appreciation as they crossed the stage with a round of applause.

With a mission to raise an additional $5,000 during the night by on-site donations, which was not only achieved but exceeded, Zach delivered on his promise as he sang “Let it Go” from the movie Frozen in a blonde-wigged Elsa costume along with his wife, Rachel, who sported a full Olaf costume.

“We are beyond thrilled to have such overwhelming fundraising support from the participants of this year’s Shelter for Shelter,” said Dannette Suding, CEO of YES to YOUTH. “The unwavering support from Zach and his team at Richmond Realty help us save kids' lives and help them build brighter futures. With Covid we have seen a huge increase in requests for services. This support will allow us to help more children and save more lives.”

Each year, the Richmond Realty Group has donated a percentage of their commission on every home they sell, up to a total of $25,000, to YES to YOUTH through the annual “Shelter for Shelter” event.

This year’s sponsors included: Woodlands Online, Woodlands Chamber, Woodforest by Johnson Development, In Loving Memory of Scott Wolford, *Wolford Group, Waste Connections, Truluck’s, Tommy Bahama, Texas Engineered Roofing, Texas Center for Cosmetic Dentistry – Dr. Guy M. Lewis, Superior Renovations & Construction, Stull Inspections, Strike, *Starfox Financial Services, St. Luke’s Health – The Woodlands Hospital, Spinal Care Chiropractic, Southern Title Texas, Southern Star Brewing Co., Sergio’s Landscaping, Michael & Vicki Richmond, RE/MAX The Woodlands and Spring, Prime Lending, Nebular Films, Moore of Everything, Mercedes-Benz of The Woodlands, Mama Lycha Foods, *The Madalyn Cooke Foundation, Lone Star College, Liz Grimm Public Relations, Kirby’s Prime Steakhouse, The Kimball Group Insurance Services, Keridon Fitness, Kean Miller, The J. Beard Real Estate Company, I Promote You, Hunter Lee Strong, Haynie & Company, *Dr. Guy Facial Plastic Surgery, Fred Greene and Rudy Wentzler, Graphic Design FX and LIVE LOCAL, Gracepoint Homes, Glade| Properties by Tiffany, Constable Ryan Gable, Frontrunner Consulting Group, The Flying Locksmiths, Fielding’s, The Everson Family, Derrick Bryant Photography, CommunityBank of Texas, City Place Relocation, Chick-fil-A – College Park, Budget Blinds, Boone’s Restoration Technology, Blanton Advisors, LLC, Black Walnut, and America's ER. (* denotes 5-year returning sponsors).

YES to YOUTH services include individual, group and family mental health counseling; presentations and school counseling in crisis situations; suicide prevention for youth and families; BridgeWay Emergency Youth Shelter (for ages 10-17); street outreach for homeless teens; and Healthy Support Program for pregnant and parenting teens.

To learn more about YES to YOUTH - Montgomery County Youth Services visit www.sayyestoyouth.org and visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/sayyestoyouth/ or call 281.292.6471 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. YES to YOUTH also offers a 24/7 Crisis Hotline at 1.888.756.8682.


To learn more about Richmond Realty Group RE/MAX The Woodlands & Spring, visit
www.RichmondRealtyTX.com and visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RichmondRealty.

Pictured from left are: Dannette Suding, CEO of YES to YOUTH; Brooke Baugh and Ann Wolford of The Wolford Group; Rachel Richmond (in Frozen’s Olaf costume) of Richmond Realty RE/MAX The Woodlands & Spring; Mindy Reynolds and Penny Wilson of YES to YOUTH; and Zach Richmond and Marlys Mulkey of Richmond Realty RE/MAX The Woodlands & Spring. (photo by Derrick Bryant Photography)