Luncheon: Non-Profit Showcase

Description

Kicking Off North Texas Giving Day Month

Join us as the Greater East Dallas Chamber of Commerce launches North Texas Giving Day month with our annual Non-Profit Showcase Luncheon—an inspiring opportunity to connect with the organizations making a lasting impact across East Dallas.

When: Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1p.m. 

Location: The Filter Building, 2810 White Rock Road, Dallas, TX 75214

Meet representatives from 20 local nonprofit organizations, learn about the important work they do, and discover meaningful ways you can support their missions. September is the most important fundraising month of the year for many nonprofits, and North Texas Giving Day plays a vital role in helping them raise the resources they need to serve our community.

We're honored to welcome Nick Marino of Communities Foundation of Texas as our featured speaker. Nick will share insights on the power of community impact, the importance of local philanthropy, and how North Texas Giving Day continues to strengthen nonprofit organizations throughout our region.

Following his remarks, Nick will moderate an engaging panel discussion featuring nonprofit leaders in attendance, offering attendees a chance to hear firsthand about the opportunities, challenges, and successes shaping East Dallas' nonprofit community.

Whether you're looking to volunteer, donate, build community partnerships, or simply learn more about the organizations serving our neighbors, this luncheon is the perfect way to kick off a month of giving.

Nonprofit Showcase Tables Available

Chamber nonprofit members are invited to reserve a showcase table to highlight their organization, connect with business and community leaders, and build awareness ahead of North Texas Giving Day. Click the sponsorship button to reserve your display table.

Come ready to connect, be inspired, and celebrate the organizations that make East Dallas stronger every day.

About the Speaker

Nick Marino Jr. is a corporate philanthropy leader and Director of the Center for Business Impact at Communities Foundation of Texas, where he leads the team and business network that helps companies maximize their community impact through strategic giving, employee engagement, and purpose-driven leadership. Through the Center, Nick works alongside businesses of all sizes to strengthen their philanthropic efforts, engage employees in meaningful ways, and create lasting impact throughout North Texas. His team supports companies through grantmaking, volunteerism, charitable funds, professional development, and community partnerships, helping bridge the gap between business goals and community needs.

A 2025 Dallas Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree, Nick has dedicated his career to building movements that inspire people to take action. He is also the founder and Chief Hunger Officer of Tango Charities, a volunteer-driven nonprofit focused on fighting hunger through hands-on community engagement. Through its flagship program, Feed The City, Tango Charities has grown into one of the largest volunteer-driven hunger relief initiatives in the country. What began as a local effort in North Texas has expanded to more than 75 cities across 19 states and five countries, engaging over 125,000 volunteers and helping provide more than 8.7 million meals through local nonprofit partners.

Under Nick's leadership, Tango Charities now supports more than 50 recurring volunteer events each month, bringing together thousands of people from all backgrounds to serve their communities. In June 2026, the organization brought together more than 1,000 volunteers at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers, to set a Guinness World Record while creating and donating over 20,000 meals for North Texas families. Through initiatives like Feed The City and Feed The Country, Nick continues to demonstrate how collective action can transform communities and inspire a culture of service.

Prior to joining Communities Foundation of Texas, Nick was part of the founding team and served as Senior Director of Marketing for Curis Functional Health, helping grow the company from a single North Texas location to more than 60 locations across 11 states. He is also co-founder of Revolving Mind, a Dallas-based marketing and brand strategy agency that has worked with startups, national brands, and professional athletes to accelerate growth and build meaningful connections with their audiences.

Nick's work has earned numerous recognitions, including the 2023 NCAA Legends and Legacy Community Award, the 2024 Marketing Maverick of the Year Award from the American Marketing Association, and recognition as one of the Dallas Business Journal's 40 Under 40 in 2025. Beyond his professional roles, he serves on the Board of Directors for the La La Land Foundation and remains passionate about helping individuals discover their ability to make a difference.

A native of Garland and now a resident of Plano, Nick is married to his wife, Amber, and together they are raising their daughter, Aria, alongside their Goldendoodle, Nala. Whether through corporate philanthropy, volunteerism, or community partnerships, Nick's mission is simple: create opportunities for people to engage in acts of good and inspire them to live with purpose.

About the Venue

White Rock Lake construction began in 1910 when Dallas was experiencing water shortages. The dam and coal-fired pump house, built on White Rock Creek, was completed in 1911. The creek initially ran through undeveloped countryside and farmland and the spring-fed water was pure enough to drink.

The lake filled rapidly and the pure water was pumped directly into city water mains with no filtration or chlorination. It didn’t take long for Dallas citizenry to discover and enjoy the recreational benefits of the newly completed oasis. Human contact; swimming, fishing, duck hunting and even construction of weekend shacks on stilts over the lake were permitted and negatively influenced water quality.

In about 1915, notices began appearing in the Dallas Morning News advising East Dallas residents to boil their tap water before drinking or cooking with it!

The Filter Building and Sedimentation Basins were then constructed in 1922. Water was allowed to flood into the sedimentation basins from the lake where sand, mud and other debris settled out. The water was next allowed to flow through a serpentine channel below the Filter Building where chlorine was added and dissolved from a mixing plant on the second floor.

The water next flowed through six pairs of sand filters located in the basement of the building, then through an enormous eight-foot diameter pipe to the adjacent pump house. These waterworks exist today beneath the Filter Building.

White Rock Lake water was used by the City for many years, but the construction of the many lakes in North Texas; Lakes Dallas, Lewisville, Grapevine, Towakoni, Cedar Creek and Hubbard in the 1950’s, supplanted White Rock and its aging equipment. The facility was closed; the sedimentation basins filled and the Filter Building doors and windows bricked closed in 1963. Woodrow Wilson high school students still managed to sneak into the basement and the initials and names of several current Lakewood residents may be found “graffiteed” on the walls below.

In 2003, the competitive sport of rowing on White Rock Lake consisted of SMU Women’s Crew and a Highland Park High School Club team rowing from facilities in the Bath House basement.

John Mullen, the founder of the Dallas Rowing Club and Sam Leake, a cycling and triathlon coach at the Tom Landry Sports Medicine and Research Center who was also teaching basic rowing lessons on the lake, founded a 501(c)3 charitable corporation, the White Rock Boathouse, Inc. to extend high school crew to DISD students and introduce recreational and competitive rowing to Dallas adults.

The historic but abandoned water works were leased from Dallas Water Utilities, $2.7 million was raised privately and the facilities were restored and adapted for rowing. The Filter Building was restored and renovated into an event venue whose net revenue supports the White Rock Boathouse outreach rowing programs. From our mission statement;

Operated by the 510(c)3 charitable corporation White Rock Boathouse Inc., The Filter Building event venue is the latest addition to the facilities. Rental income from The Filter Building supports programs of the Boathouse; community outreach, juniors rowing, and adaptive rowing for the disabled, including veterans.