By: Doyle Rader

The American Red Cross is able to provide comfort and care to individuals and families in times of need thanks to the dedication of volunteers and the generosity of donors. As the organization celebrates the eightieth annual Red Cross Month this March and its 9th Red Cross Giving Day on March 22, the North Texas Region is pleased to announce an added incentive to give.

The Markham Family Foundation and Sandy Nachman are matching financial donations from North Texas donors dollar-for-dollar for Giving Day up to $25,000 each. It’s something that Murphy Markham, director of the Markham Family Foundation, didn’t hesitate to agree to because he sees the impact the Red Cross has in North Texas, nationally and abroad. The matching donation will double any gift made by supporters in the North Texas Region the week of March 20, 2023.

“[The Red Cross] is the gold standard of reaching out and helping,” Markham said. “You’ve been doing it for a long, long time. It just seems like every place there’s a disaster — your heart just breaks for people in that disaster — the Red Cross is all over it, and they’re there quickly and stay until the end. It’s an amazing organization, and we’re thrilled to partner with you and do what little we can to help support what you're doing.”

Murphy, his wife Theresa, daughter Lindsay and son Quinn are co-directors of the Markham Family Foundation. Their philanthropic passion initially focused on alleviating poverty. However, their interests have grown to encompass disaster relief efforts that help people most affected by emergencies.

“I've always supported Red Cross through my lifetime in giving,” Markham said. “We started the Markham Family Foundation in 2015. Our mission was just to help out the poor and those in need. Over the years it has kind of expanded. At first it was focused just on the poor, but those in need and the disaster relief — we've kind of expanded it to say, ‘Let's really be out there and help the disaster relief.’”

“[Donating to the Red Cross] fits really well with what our foundation's trying to do to help those in need,” he continued. “And that's exactly what the Red Cross does. So, like I said, my whole life I've looked at Red Cross and you've always been there to help those in need.”

The Markham’s see their matching gift altruistically. Their goal is to simply be a good partner with the Red Cross. Murphy says that this is one way the Markham Family Foundation can help make a difference in the lives of those in need.  

“I thought it was great opportunity to help,” Markham said. “I know a lot of people give, and sometimes when you say your dollars will be matched — then people that can give a hundred or a thousand dollars know that it'll be doubled...We're just very pleased and honored to be a partner of the Red Cross. We’re happy to help.”