Unsung Hero Award for iEducate’s Arun Gir at IM Tapestry Ball
Arun Gir, an Executive Director at iEducate, a 5-year old mentoring non-profit, received the Unsung Heroes Award at the Interfaith Ministries Tapestry Gala on Thursday, May 10.
By Jawahar Malhotra
HOUSTON: This year’s Interfaith Ministries Tapestry Ball held a few surprises as many individuals were noted for their valiant efforts to help those who were affected by the floods after Hurricane Harvey last August. The Ball was once again held on Thursday, May 10 at the Hilton Americas with over 400 guests in attendance and brought together live performances, prayers and tributes from the many faiths that coexist in the environs of the Bayou City. The gala raised over $500,000 for IM’s ongoing work.
Three of the notables were Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, owner of Gallery Furniture who opened up his stores full of mattresses and furniture to those who suddenly became homeless.
But in addition to them, four other individuals were celebrated and received medals for their dedication and bravery in helping the less fortunate, their efforts going beyond the norm, by helping Meals on Wheels, Refugee Services, Interfaith Relations & Community Partnerships, and Volunteer Houston.
These were MOW volunteers Lauren and Chad Walters, owners of Electrical Tech Services, who offered their company’s large trucks to help rescue senior clients; Tehmina Masud, an RS volunteer who raises money and helps refugee families acclimate to their new city; Jeff Nuckols, senior vice president of Frost Bank, which donated $50,000 to help congregations and their members affected by Harvey; and Arun Gir, executive director of iEducate and a VH client who relied on VH’s college-aged volunteers to help tutor children who were displaced from their schools during Harvey.
“We were totally surprised when they informed us that Arun was being honored,’ said his mother Roopa Gir who is president of the five year-old organization which specializes in mentoring young kids in their school settings. iEducate now operates in 27 schools in Houston ISD, Spring ISD and Kipp Charter Schools.
Arun, 30, received two bachelors degrees in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Applied Mathematics and Statistics from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in 2012. He is also a partner in a start-up called Wilsa Technologies. After Harvey, he volunteered in floodlogged 5th Ward, ferrying people to the GRBC, delivering food and supplies to HISD schools and developed an app to allow parents and students to be tracked.