This year’s Crystal Charity Ball, themed “Expédition d’Élégance,” will take guests on a globe-trotting adventure — think apéritif in the boarding lounge, entrée over the Atlantic, main course in Tokyo, and dessert in Paris — as if aboard a luxury 747 jet or a gilded railway car. Both traveler and benefactor will glide through the evening under the sparkle of chandeliers.
But beyond the ornate setting, the organizers hope the theme will serve as a symbolic reminder of their commitment to support growth and transformation in young people.
The Ball’s mission remains rooted in its strong legacy. Since 1952, The Crystal Charity Ball has distributed more than $198 million to children’s charities in Dallas County. For 2025, the 100 active committee members hope to raise more than $7.4 million for seven local beneficiaries.
Among those is Café Momentum, a restaurant and training facility in Dallas that gives justice-involved youth a second chance through paid internships, life skills training, wraparound case management, and mental health care.
A goal of $1.25 million from The Crystal Charity Organization has been set for Café Momentum’s new flagship Innovation Kitchen.
Just as passengers on the Orient Express move from one landscape to another, Café Momentum’s interns hope to move from turbulence to training, from the juvenile justice system to a secure job and stability.
The 2025 Crystal Charity Ball is being led by chair Mary Martha Pickens, who brings a blend of professional acumen and philanthropic commitment to the role. She serves as senior vice president and private client manager in the Dallas office of Bank of America Private Bank and has held leadership roles in the non-profit community, including serving on the advisory board of MD Anderson Cancer Center.
An active member of The Crystal Charity Ball organization since 2014, Pickens has chaired various committees, including underwriting, silent auction, contribution tickets, and invitations, before assuming the full ball chair role for 2025.
When the ballroom doors open for the gala in December, it will mark the culmination of a year of planning, outreach, creativity, and generosity. Under Pickens’ guidance, the 2025 Crystal Charity Ball is as much about “destination” as it is about “expedition.” By aligning the theme of travel and elegance with the philanthropic mission, she is setting the tone for both the fundraising campaign and the gala. Committee members, donors, underwriters, and supporters continue to collaborate to turn the $7.46 million goal into impact.
The support will aid with infrastructure improvements, program expansion, specialized services, and wrap-around support for youth, reflecting The Crystal Charity Ball’s long-standing mission to improve children’s lives.
Beneficiaries
Funds from this year’s charitable gala will support seven Dallas County nonprofits improving children’s lives. Beneficiaries include a culinary training initiative, a college-prep program, a child-advocacy group, a communication and hearing center, a vision-research organization, a community meal service, and a preparatory school — organizations expanding education, health, and opportunity for thousands of youth and families.
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