Father Focused Houston Nonprofit Gives Back — CoolxDad's Color Box Keeps It Whimsical

Lacee Jacobs-Barnett & Kevin Barnett with their family at the CoolxDad Color Box Kickoff at Art Is Bond (Photo by William Issac)

Karrie Calloway, Danielle Watkins, Kevin Barnett, Janice Bond at the CoolxDad Color Box Kickoff at Art Is Bond (Photo by William Issac)

Julien Nolan, Trish Matute, Lily Jang at CoolxDad X Color Box at ELLIO Fine Art (Photo by William Issac)

Catherine D. Anspon, Tara Conley, Tay Butler, Harwood Taylor, Kevin Barnett, Abigale Rigamonti, Brian Freeze, Trish Matute, Kim Truong, Christine Truong at CoolxDad X Color Box at ELLIO Fine Art (Photo by William Issac)

The Biggest Brandon and his band performed at the CoolxDad Color Box Kickoff at Art Is Bond. (Photo by William Issac)

A student saxophonist from HSPVA provided chill tunes at CoolXDad X Color Box at ELLIO Fine Art. (Photo by William Issac)

CoolxDad founder Kevin Barnett at CoolxDad X Color Box at ELLIO Fine Art (Photo by William Issac)

Danielle Watkins at CoolxDad X Color Box at ELLIO Fine Art (Photo by William Issac)

CoolxDad supporters gathered at the CoolxDad Color Box Kickoff at Art Is Bond (Photo by William Issac)

Sergio Delemos, Kai Delemos at the CoolxDad Color Box Kickoff at Art Is Bond (Photo by William Issac)

Kevin Barnett, Rontaye Butler at CoolxDad X Color Box at ELLIO Fine Art (Photo by William Issac)

Five internship recipients were announced at the CoolxDad Color Box Kickoff at Art Is Bond. (Photo by William Issac)

Kevin Barnett, Lacee Jacobs-Barnett, Abigale Rigamonti at CoolXDad X Color Box at ELLIO Fine Art (Photo by William Issac)

Ariel Bounds, Jordan Lee Harris at CoolxDad X Color Box at ELLIO Fine Art (Photo by William Issac)

CoolxDad curated a Color Box Kickoff at Art is Bond. (Photo by William Issac)

Chef Monica Pope catered the CoolxDad Color Box Kickoff at Art Is Bond. (Photo by William Issac)

Chef Karrie Calloway's epicurean oysters at CoolxDad X Color Box at ELLIO Fine Art (Photo by William Issac)

Chef Karrie Calloway, Kevin Barnett, Jordan Lee Harris, Rontaye Butler at CoolXDad X Color Box at ELLIO Fine Art (Photo by William Issac)

The Color Box gift drive is one of CoolxDad's most impactful initiatives. Art Is Bond hosted this season's lively kickoff, catered by Chef Monica Pope, with liquor sponsors Highway Vodka and Hennessy. Photo by William Issac)

Clarkwood craft cocktails flowed at CoolxDad X Color Box at Ellio Fine Art. (Photo by William Issac)

Rontaye Butler, Steven Carter at CoolxDad X Color Box at ELLIO Fine Art (Photo by William Issac)

Chef Monica Pope's delicious apps at the CoolxDad Color Box Kickoff at Art Is Bond.(Photo by William Issac)

Clarkwood crafted the cool cocktails at CoolxDad x Color Box at ELLIO Fine Art. (Photo by William Issac)

This holiday season, you can spread cheer and generosity by donating to one of Houston’s more unique family-centered nonprofits. CoolxDad’s annual holiday gift drive dubbed Color Box is running through November 30. The gift drive is one of this Houston nonprofit’s most impactful community initiatives.

Through Color Box, CoolxDad has been able to donate more than 1000 toys to kids and families around Houston over the past two years.

This year, the gifts are being donated to underprivileged kids in the Project Row Houses. People are encouraged to donate items — kids toys, electronics and new clothing — with a value up to $75. Drop off locations can be found throughout the city. There are 11 of them in total, including at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Houston Grand Opera and the Toyota Center.

The full list is available at CoolxDad’s website. An online option for donating is also available.

To kick off the holiday gift drive, CoolxDad curated an exclusive event at Art Is Bond in the 4411 Montrose gallery building. Chef Monica Pope served hors d’oeuvres, including bruschetta, mushroom dumplings and vegan burgers. Musician The Biggest Brandon and his band provided live tunes. Gallery owner/director Janice Bond, on the CoolXDad board, hosted the convivial night for the CoolxDad cause.

Five fathers from the Project Row Houses community were in the running to participate in a 30-day internship with select Color Box sites, where they will gain work experience in hospitality, art business, programming and entrepreneurship. The internship recipients were revealed at the kickoff event. Curtis Ricks will be working at Mo’Better Brews with Chef Courtney Lindsey and Derrick Wyble will intern at Kindred Stories bookstore with Terri Hamm.

A week after the Color Box kickoff, CoolxDad continued the action with ELLIO Fine Art at 3201 Allen in tandem with a celebration of the art gallery’s first anniversary. ELLIO’s owner Trish Matute and colleagues Brian Freeze, Harwood Taylor, and Abigale Rigamonti, welcomed the nonprofit’s supporters and toasted their cause. Festivities included a preview of ELLIO’s new group exhibition, live music, catering from Chef Karrie Calloway and craft cocktails, courtesy 3201 Allen neighbor, Clarkwood wine and cocktail bar. Ten percent of proceeds from ELLIO’s exhibition will be donated to CoolxDad’s initiatives through this Saturday, November 26. ELLIO is also one of the participating drop off sites for the Color Box gift drive.

CoolxDad is also hosting its #fromustoyou Holiday Portrait session at Sanman Studio (1109 Providence Street) this Sunday, November 27 from noon to 4 pm. Reserve a spot here.

Additional reporting Catherine D. Anspon.