AUSTIN (KXAN) — Beloved Houston-born actress Jennifer Garner was honored at the Texas Capitol Wednesday for charity work she’s done throughout the duration of her nearly 20-year career.
A resolution, written by Senator Carol Alvarado, was presented on the senate floor honoring Garner for her work with Save the Children, a global organization founded in 1919 with the goal of improving children’s lives worldwide, according to its website.
The resolution states that Garner has worked with the organization for 15 years, first joining as an artist ambassador, then in 2014 she became a member of the board and serves on its Program Impact and Marketing Committees.
Garner traveled to Kentucky in 2022 after devastating floods to “fundraise, draw attention to suffering, and assist teachers in making classrooms ready again,” according to the resolution.
Further, the resolution said Garner has “promoted the organization’s literacy efforts and heightened awareness of the challenges faced by youngsters, from Afghan refugees to children displaced by wildfires; a onetime resident of West Virginia, she persuaded then-governor Joe Manchin to bring Save the Children’s early childhood education programs to the state, and she has advocated tirelessly on Capitol Hill and across the country, meeting with legislators on both sides of the aisle.”
“Using her prominent platform to further the worthy goals of Save the Children, Jennifer Garner has helped to make a lasting, positive difference in countless lives, and in so doing, she has helped strengthen communities across the world,” the resolution said.
Alvarado presented the resolution to Garner after it was read on the Senate floor.
“I would say that what you’ve been doing today — advocating for children — is your best role,” Alvarado said. “You star in many motion pictures and shows, but your advocacy for children, being an ambassador to Save the Children, and the work that you do in education is probably the most rewarding role that you play.”
The Houston native spent time in Austin in 2022 to film “The Last Thing He Told Me,” a mystery miniseries backed by Reese Witherspoon. At least one of the filming locations included DKR Texas Memorial Stadium, according to a promotional photo released before the series release.
The story is based on a novel by Laura Dave that takes place in Austin.