Alan Helfman was inspired by the example set by his mother and father to live a philanthropic life. He is known throughout Houston for his kind heart and generosity.

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Alan is president of his family’s group of five Helfman Auto Dealerships in Houston. He is a native of Houston and studied business at the University of Texas. Alan sits on a variety of boards, including, but not limited to, Texas Southern University (TSU); Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center; University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston; Houston Police Department (HPD) Foundation; Houston Fire Department (HFD) Foundation; and Seven Acres Jewish Senior Care Center.

 

Realizing early on that he would be fortunate in life, Alan decided to give as abundantly as he could to the community. As a result, he supports numerous charitable efforts throughout Houston. One of his great passions is championing the brave men and women of the HPD. He is focused on serving first responders, most especially those who have been injured, as well as families who have lost loved ones in the line of duty. He has organized over 100 fundraising events for various law enforcement agencies, particularly the Houston Police Officers’ Union.

 

In addition to HPD, he has donated to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Alan’s respect for law enforcement resulted in his partnering with Houston Community College (HCC) to establish the Public Safety Institute of HCC-Northeast.

 

A fundraiser extraordinaire, Alan has produced two a month for the past 25 years. When he sees a need, he doesn’t hesitate to step in, organize an event, and raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for a worthy cause. These are exciting occasions and feature up to 12 performers, sometimes including Houston Astros and Houston Rockets cheerleaders and even Alan’s own band. Alan describes the events this way: “We dance and sing, jump, and three hours later, we’ve raised more than $100,000.” A large part of the money raised is generated by each event’s auction. Many of the coveted items are donated by Alan from his extensive collection of entertainment and sports memorabilia.

 

Alan’s associate in a large number of these events is Mrs. Georgia Provost. For over 30 years, she has helped him organize 82 fundraisers for TSU, as well as for numerous other worthy organizations. Helfman/Provost has raised money for KTSU-FM and students in Communication at TSU for more than 25 years.

 

Alan has contributed to more groups and projects than there is space for here. These are just some of them: Helfman Playground For All at Meadow Place, American Cancer Society, Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Helfman Field at Caress Stadium, Houston Baptist University, Houston International Festival, KNOWAutism, Medicine Without Borders, and Jewish Family Services.

 

Alan is always front and center helping out during a crisis. After  Hurricane Harvey, he helped raise over $4.7 million for the Seven Acres Jewish Senior Care Center. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he donated $100,000 for KN95 masks for the HPD and the HFD. He also donated 14 vehicles to various agencies, including the HPD and the HFD. Not stopping there, he provided funds for surgery rooms at Houston Methodist Hospital and Hermann Memorial Medical Center.  

 

In recognition of his unfaltering service to the community, Alan has received numerous awards and honors. A small sample of these includes: June 8, 2002 was proclaimed Alan Helfman Day by the City of Houston; TSU renamed their radio studios the Helfman Provost Studios in 2015; he was named a Houston Treasure for 2019 by The Social Book; he was the recipient of the first Lifetime Achievement Award by the Houston Police Department in 2021; and HCC named the Alan Helfman Criminal Justice/Law Program after him at a naming ceremony on August 24, 2021. As well, Alan and his wife, Renee Helfman, were honored by HCC at its Foundation Gold Gala in 2019 and were awarded the Houston Hero and Corporate Award by the KNOWAutism Foundation in 2021.

 

Renee and their children, Blake, Caitlin, and Eric, are Alan’s greatest supporters.

 

It is for all the reasons mentioned above, and many more, that Alan Helfman has been named a Top 20 Inspiring Man Impact Maker for 2022.