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Sponsorship Packages are available. See below for details

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Their Voices. Their Strength. Our Support

For nearly 30 years, Daya has been a lifeline for survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Houston, offering safety services, counseling, and empowerment programs that guide individuals through their journey of transformation. As we gather for this year’s fundraiser, your support is crucial to continuing the vital work that helps survivors rebuild their lives and embrace healing to create a future filled with hope and strength.

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Now, more than ever, we need your help—by supporting this fundraiser, you become a driving force in transforming lives. Together, we can make an immediate and lasting impact!​

 

Join us for a beautiful evening of connection, inspiration, and celebration as we come together to support survivor journeys. Enjoy a lively reception, followed by a moving program and dinner.

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 Sunday, September 28, 2025
Time: 5:00 PM – VIP Registration and Reception

5:30 PM – General Registration | 6:30 PM – Program & Dinner


Location: Sugar Land Marriott | 16090 City Walk, Sugar Land, TX 77479
Dress Code: Dressy Evening Attire​​​​

Can't attend but want to donate? Click the button below

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Speakers

Meet the Speakers

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Cherry Morse

Social Entrepreneur & Survivor

Daya is thrilled to welcome Cherry Morse as our Gala 2025 speaker!

 

Cherry Morse is the Sales & Marketing Manager at GIFTED by FreeFrom—a bold, survivor-owned social enterprise that curates handmade products from survivor entrepreneurs into gift boxes that radiate care, comfort, and joy. Every dollar from every sale goes right back to the all-survivor team that creates, curates, ships, and sells these gifts.

 

Born and raised in the Philippines, Cherry built a 12-year career in hospitality across Asia and the Middle East before moving to the U.S. in 2001. After surviving over a decade of harm within her marriage, Cherry left—pregnant and with her young children—determined to build a life rooted in safety and possibility.

 

While staying at a domestic violence shelter, Cherry prioritized holistic healing for herself and her children. Once she secured stable housing, she earned a business degree from LACC and worked as a paralegal at the LA Superior Court—all while raising four kids on her own.

 

Today, Cherry is the powerhouse behind GIFTED’s marketing campaigns, promotions, and corporate partnerships. She’s also the founder of Her Fortitude, an empowerment brand for women, and serves on the Survivor Advisory Council at FinAbility, a nonprofit expanding financial access for survivors.

 

Cherry is featured in SURVIVOR MADE, a joyful documentary that follows survivor-entrepreneurs giving it their all to build financial security and safety for their families in community with each other. 

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Mark your calendars:

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On Thursday, September 18th, FreeFrom and Daya will co-host a screening of SURVIVOR MADE at 6:00 PM at Regal Edwards Greenway (3839 Weslayan St, Houston, TX 77027). After the film, stay for a conversation with Houston-based survivors and advocates using entrepreneurship to build safe and free lives.

 


Individual ticket sales for the screening can be purchased via the link below:

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Note: Gala sponsorships include complimentary tickets to the screening — please check your package for details. Please contact development@dayahouston.org for any questions and to redeem your complimentary tickets. ​

Purchase Documentary Tickets

About Survivor Made 

From executive producers Padma Lakshmi, Roxane Gay, Chase Joynt, Nava Mau, Debbie Millman, Alok Vaid-Menon, and Fawzia Mirza, and director Drew Denny, SURVIVOR MADE is a film for survivors, by survivors that flips the script on gender-based violence—from a narrative of pain to one of possibility.

 

Set in Los Angeles during the holiday season, this joyful, deeply human documentary follows six survivor-entrepreneurs as they defy the odds—building thriving businesses, raising their children, and lobbying for change in Washington D.C. They’re giving it their all to prove that investing in survivors saves lives.

 

Cozy, grounding, and heartfelt, SURVIVOR MADE premiered in November 2024 with a festive five-city tour—and its momentum hasn’t slowed since. The film is an Official Selection of the Women’s Voices Now and Miami Film Festivals, a Webby Awards Honoree, and was featured in the Impact Lounge at the Sundance Film Festival.

 

Join us for a night that reveals what’s possible—and the small acts making it real.

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Client Story of Transformation
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Health Care Leader, Entrepreneur & Marathon Runner

We're honored to welcome a former Daya client who will share her inspiring story—one of courage, strength and reclaiming independence. Her story stands as a bold reminder of the strength, determination, and growth that can fuel a survivor’s path to freedom.

 

This inspiring survivor sought services from Daya in 2020. After calling our helpline, she was assisted with safety planning, case management, counseling and legal advocacy. Through her journey with Daya, she was able to find healing, empowerment and independence.

 

Stay tuned! In the coming weeks we will share more about her story. To have an opportunity to meet and hear from this dynamic survivor, attend this year's Gala.

Speakers

Meet the Emcee

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Aliya Kanani

Comedian & Actress 

Daya is thrilled to welcome Aliya Kanani as our Gala 2025 Emcee!

 

Aliya, an award-winning standup comedian, Canadian academy award-nominated actress and writer, captivates audiences globally with her vibrant personality and sharp wit. Her one-woman show, ‘Where You FROM, From?’ celebrated for its humor and deep engagement with themes of identity and belonging, has won accolades at festivals including Best of Fest and Patron’s Pick. Aliya disarms audiences with her playful mischief, tackling complex topics like race, gender, and social labels with humor, sharing personal stories from her life as a nomad and debunking assumptions. Currently touring North America while developing her new show ‘Drink, Pray, Love’, Aliya’s performances invite laughter while fostering a connection to humanity.


As a standup comedian, Aliya has toured in Canada, Australia, SouthAfrica, UK and USA. She has performed at Just For Laughs, JFL42, Johannesburg International Comedy Festival, Seattle International Comedy Competition, Melbourne International Comedy Festival,
Chicago’s Breakout Festival and more. She was a semi-finalist in NBC’s Standup competition in New York and can be heard on CBC’s LOL network and SiriusXM.

 

Notably nominated as Best Lead Actress for the Canadian academy awards for her performance in ‘Scarborough’, it was also her first role in film. She has gone on to take on roles in films that have landed her at the Toronto International Film Festival three years in a row! The
film ‘Seven Veils’ she played in alongside Amanda Seyfried, directed by Atom Egoyan, will be out in theatres March 2025. You can also catch her in the most recent season of ‘Law and Order: Toronto’.

 

After creating her first web-series, ‘Juicy’, Aliya has since written for the sketch comedy show ‘Abroad’ and was a finalist in the Just for Laughs ‘Standup & Pitch’ competition for her comedy variety series ‘HYPE’.
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Aliya continues to expand her creative repertoire in comedy, film and television, maintaining a legacy of impactful entertainment.​​

Auction

Our Auction website is live!
If you're missing the gala, you can still participate by registering at the link below and bidding on Silent Auction items, buying Raffle Tickets, and being a part of the evening.

If you have any questions related to auction donations, please contact us at development@dayahouston.org

Ticket & Tables

Sponsorship Opportunities

Sponsorships are currently available. Payment & sponsorship details must be received on or before 9/26/25.

Please note that credit card purchases will incur a 3% fee.

Checks can be mailed to: Daya Inc. PO Box 421581 Houston, TX 77242

To make payments via ACH/Zelle, please contact development@dayahouston.org

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$25,000 - Platinum Wings
($23,140 Tax Deductible)

  • Event Sponsor with 5-minute speaking opportunity during event

  • VIP seating for 20 with drink tickets (2 tables)

  • Complimentary Valet (up to 20 vehicles)

  • 20 invitations for VIP Reception 

  • 10 tickets to Survivor Made Film Screening

  • VIP Appreciation Basket

  • Table signage recognition

  • Co-Branding on event marketing materials

  • Dedicated social post recognizing event sponsorship

  • Name and logo in printed event brochure

  • Full page in event slideshow

  • Acknowledgement in 2025 Contributor Report

  • Presence on Daya website for 1 year post event

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$10,000 - Golden Wings
(Tax Deductible Amount is $8,390)

  • Premier seating for 20 with drink tickets (2 tables)

  • Complimentary Valet (up to 10 vehicles)

  • 10 invitations for VIP Reception 

  • 10 tickets to Survivor Made Film Screening

  • Luxury Appreciation Basket

  • Table signage recognition

  • Verbal recognition at event

  • Name and logo in printed event brochure

  • Half page in event slideshow

  • Acknowledgement in 2025 Contributor Report

  • Presence on Daya website for 1 year post event

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$5,000 - Silver Wings
(Tax Deductible Amount is $4,200)

  • Prominent seating for 10 with drink tickets (1 table)

  • Complimentary Valet (5 vehicles)

  • 4 invitations for VIP Reception 

  • 4 tickets to Survivor Made Film Screening

  • Donor Appreciation Basket

  • Name and logo in printed event brochure

  • Quarter page in event slideshow

  • Acknowledgement in 2025 Contributor Report

  • Presence on Daya website for 1 year post event

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$1,000 - Flight for Two
(Tax Deductible Amount is $885)

  • Preferred seating for 2 guests with drink tickets included

  • Name in Event Slideshow

  • Name in event brochure

  • Acknowledgement in 2025 Contributor Report

Sponsors

Individual Ticket & Table Sales

Click below to purchase your table or ticket(s) online.

Please note that credit card purchases will incur a 3% fee.

Checks can be mailed to: Daya Inc. PO Box 421581 Houston, TX 77242

To make payments via ACH/Zelle, please contact development@dayahouston.org

$3000 - Table of 10
(Tax Deductible amount is $2,550)
Table purchases will receive Preferred Seating and recognition on the online event program

$300 - Individual Ticket
(Tax Deductible Amount is $255)

 

Sponsors

Donations

Click below to make a donation online. Please note that credit card purchases will incur a 3% fee. To make payments via check/ACH/Zelle contact development@dayahouston.org

$5,000+

Donations at $5000+ will receive recognition in the printed event brochure (if received prior to September 5) and in the 2025 Contributor Report

$1,000-$4,999

Donations at $1000-$4999 will receive recognition in the online event brochure (if received prior to September 5) and in the 2025 Contributor Report

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Daya, Inc. is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The
Federal ID number is 76-0513273. Per IRS guidelines, payment by Donor Advised Funds (DAF) or
Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) may not be applied to purchases, including goods and services, or

used to bifurcate payments.

Ticket & Tables

Thank You To Our Sponsors!

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Golden Wings Sponsors

  • Aparna & Manu Asthana

  • David P. Chaney, CPA, P.C.

  • Shazma & Arshad Matin

  • Shree Hardikar Nath

  • Drs. Padmini & Ranga Nathan

  • Lakshmy Parameswaran

  • Shveta & Manu Pillai

  • Viji & Dr. Jay Raman

  • Anila & Dhiren Shethia

  • Southwest Management District 

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Silver Wings Sponsors

  • Prabha & Sesh Bala

  • Chevron

  • Dalwadi Hospitality Management/House of Devi

  • Sujata & Jagdish Desai

  • Fermeen Fazal & John Holmes

  • Inside Out Property Solutions/The Rajan Family

  • H-E-B 

  • Sari Connection

  • Zarine & Raj Mashruwala

  • ObjectWin Technology

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