Jewel Charity Ball Photographer | Board Portraits by Gittings

Behind the Portrait: Gittings at the 2026 Jewel Charity Ball

On April 1st, Lezlie Monteleone presented $2,706,000 to Cook Children’s Medical Center at this month’s Annual Gift Celebration, bringing Jewel Charity’s lifetime impact to more than $88 million. That is what the Gala is really about. 

Behind that number are the people who made it possible. 

The Nonprofit Board and Volunteer Leadership Behind the Ball

When we photograph board members and committee leadership before an event like this, we’re aware of what those portraits are really capturing – the months of preparation behind a single Saturday night. Portraits like these require presence and trust, and we’re proud of what we made together this year.

Fort Worth Families in The Jewel Book

What The Jewel Charity Ball Means for Fort Worth

That goal has never changed. Every Angel donor celebrated at the ball, every raffle ticket sold, every silent auction bid flows directly to Cook Children’s Medical Center. It started in 1954 with $9,000 raised at the very first ball. This season alone, that same spirit of generosity added up to $2,706,000 — and a lifetime total that now exceeds $88 million for the children and families Cook Children’s serves.

This year, for the first time, the ball’s support extended specifically to Cook Children’s Endocrinology Department alongside its broader patient care mission. The Endocrinology Department supports virtually every specialty within the hospital by providing oversight of patients’ endocrine systems before, during, and following treatment, effectively touching patients across almost every department. This is undoubtedly a reflection of the intentionality that has defined this organization for over seven decades.

It also didn’t hurt that Wolfgang Puck was behind the food. The caviar experience during cocktail hour was something else entirely. The kind of detail that reminds you how much thought and care goes into every part of a Jewel Charity evening.

Fort Worth Portrait Photography: Part of Something Bigger

It was an honor to be part of the 71st Jewel Charity Ball and see so many familiar faces. Congratulations to Lezlie Monteleone, the co-chairs, the board, and every committee member who made this evening what it was.

Gittings photographs nonprofit boards, executive teams, and event leadership throughout Fort Worth and the Dallas area. To inquire about portrait sessions for your organization, contact our studio.