We recently had the chance to connect with Jordan Chismar and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jordan , thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
What a great question! I think I’d say I’m wandering.
I’m a mom of three, and I know my purpose in this season of life is to be their mom—and to be part of a community that supports women who are working full time while raising families. I love getting to know my kids’ friends and taking an interest in their lives. I could probably tell you each of their favorite snacks… but if you asked me where my kids’ birth certificates or any important documents are? I honestly have no idea.
I often describe myself as a solid type B mom, surrounded by the absolute best type A friends a girl could ask for. I’m involved in so many things—Gals Who Give, Junior League, Friends of Milroy Park, Village Heights Church, and Casa de Esperanza—not because I’m exceptionally organized or driven, but because I deeply admire the brilliant, on-time, wildly capable women who lead those efforts.
One of my favorite memories was co-chairing the decorations committee for the Junior League Annual Ball. My close friend was in charge and had an incredible vision. I worked so hard gluing Spanish moss to table linens and making sure every detail was perfect—but the vision was all hers. I’m the hard-working assistant, doing my best to support the leaders in my life—showing up on time (usually) and to the right location (hopefully).
That’s why I love Gals Who Give. We’re not building a nonprofit from the ground up—we’re supporting the ones who already have the vision. We provide the financial help that keeps the lights on.
So yes, I wander—but with purpose. I go where I feel called, and I’m guided by the people I choose to surround myself with.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Jordan Chismar, co-leader of Gals Who Give – Harris County alongside my dear friend Brit Vora. We were both born and raised in Pennsylvania and originally moved to Houston after college to work at Casa de Esperanza, a nonprofit supporting children in crisis. What was supposed to be a short-term experience turned into a long-term love for the city—and we’ve both stayed connected to the nonprofit world ever since.
Brit and her husband spent a few years living in Denver, where she discovered a group called Gals Who Give—a women-led giving circle that meets quarterly, votes on a local nonprofit, and donates collectively to make a big impact with minimal time commitment. When Brit moved back to Houston in 2019, she knew she wanted to bring the concept here—and I had just left my full-time job to stay home with my newborn.
We traveled to Denver together to see the group in action, and just one month before the world shut down in 2020, we officially launched the Harris County chapter. It was a wild time to begin anything, but we found that when the world started reopening, people were eager to give back—and we were ready to help them do just that.
Gals Who Give – Harris County is designed to make giving easy, impactful, and community-driven. We meet four times a year, encourage a $100 donation per attendee to a nonprofit chosen by vote, and every dollar goes directly to the selected organization—thanks to the generosity of local businesses like Steel Door Realty, June & Co., and our newest host, Blink Lending, who allow us to use their space at no cost.
What makes this so special is how accessible it is. You don’t have to be a nonprofit expert—you just have to care. We bring together women from all walks of life who want to give back without having to reinvent the wheel. It’s meaningful, efficient, and community-powered philanthropy at its best.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
My grandma. We just celebrated her 95th birthday at the beginning of August—and she made 75 deviled eggs for the party herself!
I grew up spending every Sunday at her house. I didn’t just get to know her personality—I learned her recipes, how she cleans, the way she reads her Bible every night, and most importantly, that hard work isn’t just admirable… it’s magnetic. She taught me that working hard isn’t something to hide—it’s something that draws people in and makes them want to be around you.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
One of the greatest privileges of my life is being the younger sister in our family. My older sister was three years older than me and my closest friend. At 30 years old, with a two-month-old baby, I learned what the word “Glioblastoma” meant. She fought bravely and heroically for three years before she passed away.
It was incredibly hard then—and it’s still hard now.
I’m not sure you ever fully heal from the death of someone you expected to walk through life with. But a lot of therapy, a little medication, and the gift of watching my own children experience a childhood full of love (and the chaos that comes with having siblings) has helped.
Her absence is a wound, but her presence in my life for 30 years was a gift—and I try to carry that forward in everything I do.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I believe in public parks and them being essential, not an afterthought. I will renovate the public parks in my neighborhood in order to keep a green space that is safe and accessible to kids of all ages and abilities if it is the last thing i do.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people tell the story of how I was there.
When the jobs were messy and hard, I showed up. I hope that when people tell their own stories, my name comes up as someone who helped make their dreams happen—even in small, behind-the-scenes ways.
Maybe it’s sitting on the floor sorting baby clothes for a shower hosted by the iCureA Foundation. Or cooking 250 hot dogs in my kitchen on a Monday night to help feed the homeless with The Fresh Project. I hope people think of me during those moments of quiet need—like when postpartum felt unbearable—and remember that I offered compassion and empathy without judgment.
And when the unimaginable happens, I hope they say, “I called her… and she was there.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.galswhogive.org/
- Instagram: galswhogive_harriscounty
- Facebook: Gals Who Give – Harris County
