Thank you for attending the CFF Banquet 2026!
Thank you to everyone who attended and supported this year’s Caring Forever Foundation Banquet. Because of your generosity, the event raised more than $130,000 to build the Jennie and Mike Baker Youth Scholarship Fund, helping provide life-changing opportunities for students in our church community. It was an inspiring afternoon of fellowship, storytelling, and shared commitment to investing in the next generation. We are deeply grateful to our guests, sponsors, volunteers, and donors whose support made the afternoon such a tremendous success.
What is the Caring Forever Foundation?
The Caring Forever Foundation exists to ensure that the ministries and missions of Memorial Drive United Methodist Church — and our community — can thrive for generations to come. As an independent 501(c)3 supporting organization, we receive gifts, grow them wisely, and put them to work through grants and scholarships that make a lasting difference. In 2025 alone, the Foundation awarded more than $152,000 across 15 funds — supporting student scholarships, clergy education, missions, music, and more. When you give to the Caring Forever Foundation, your gift doesn't just help today. It keeps giving, forever.
Ways to Give
CARING FOREVER FOUNDATION PATRONS
Please consider supporting the life-giving work of The Foundation by becoming a Caring Forever Foundation Patron. This group of supporters will help underwrite the annual operating costs of the Caring Forever Foundation, thus directly increasing the amount the Foundation gives to ministries and programs at MDUMC and in the Houston community. Join the Patrons and partner with us in this work.
PLANNED GIVING
H. Eugene Cragg Legacy Circle
The H. Eugene Cragg Legacy Circle recognizes and says thank you in advance to those who have planned gifts to The Caring Forever Foundation through their estates. Estate gifts to The Foundation make the biggest impact on growing the endowment. And as the endowment grows, the Foundation can do more for MDUMC and the greater community.
Donors may choose to make the Foundation a beneficiary of assets from these sources: bequests from wills or trusts, retirement accounts, life insurance, donor-advised fund, or private foundation.
SET UP A NEW FUND
This option gives you the ability to set up and name a fund as you wish. There is a minimum $100,000 gift requirement.
SET UP A NEW SCHOLARSHIP
Create a named scholarship to support students pursuing higher education. You may set up the criteria for the scholarship (such as area of study). There is a $10,000 minimum gift requirement.
MEMORIAL GIFTS
Make a gift to The Caring Forever Foundation to memorialize those you care about. Gifts may be made to the Foundation in memory of deceased persons, to honor living persons, or to commemorate anniversaries or other special events.
CAN I GIVE STOCK?
Yes! For more information about giving stock, please email StacyStepler@mdumc.org or call 713-579-2991.
GRANTS
The Foundation awarded $152,148 in grants in 2025. Foundation grants support ministries and programs of MDUMC and community organizations.
Helpful links
Memorial Garden
A quiet, comforting space to draw close to God,
to give thanks, and to remember.