Lunch Bunch

The inaugural Women of Substance luncheon honored a dozen local ladies for their philanthropic contributions, and raised $400,000 for the Mission of Yahweh shelter. ... Meanwhile, supporters of the Houston Botanic Garden also raised nearly $500,000 at the organization’s lunch. ... A sold-out event benefiting Houston’s Ronald McDonald House thanked Southwest Airlines for its support. ... The second annual Power of Literacy luncheon, hosted by the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Ladies for Literacy Guild, celebrated the unveiling of the 30-foot Curiosity Cruiser mobile library. ... Finally, Rob Lowe was the ballyhooed keynote speaker at the Council on Recovery’s fall lunch, which raised $520,000.