Officers of the Anthony Bobrow Trust announced today that the trust will present its fourth annual contribution of $250,000 to four non-profits serving the LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS communities. Receiving $62,500 each are AIDS Services of Dallas, AIN, Hope Charities and Legacy Counseling. Checks will presented at a ceremony in late spring this year; trust officials said they are announcing the donations now so that the agencies can include the amounts in their budget planning for the year.
Co-Trustee Harvey Meissner, president and general manager of the Hidden Door which is owned by the Bobrow Trust, said, “Despite our being closed for much of 2020, we’ll continue this annual $250,000 donation and will be adding more in smaller donations during the year. Tony Bobrow left us well-funded, and the needs of our community are greater than ever.”
Since Bobrow’s death in February 2018, the trust he established has donated almost $1.3 million to non-profits. Profits from the bar Bobrow owned, Hidden Door, now go into the trust. Although the COVID-19 pandemic kept the bar shuttered since last spring, Meissner said, “The days are quickly getting longer, more UV rays are reaching the earth, and we’re moving our social activities to the outside. The Hidden Door crew has carefully observed precautions and are rapidly getting the Covid 19 vaccine. We hope to be open during the summer, enjoying the largest patio in Oak Lawn.”
The Hidden Door has undergone remodeling during the months it has been closed. “We’ll reopen only after the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission tells us it’s safe. Optimistically, that’ll be sometime this summer or early fall. That will depend in part on how well all of us use precautions and get the vaccine,” Meissner said. “We’ve said before, we’ll never take a chance on harming any of our customers or family.”
When Hidden Door was open last year, Meissner said, “about 20 cents of every dollar spent at the Hidden Door was given to the trust for future contributions. While the Anthony Bobrow Trust will continue its donations regardless, it will be great to visit with the Hidden Door family again.”
Watch the Hidden Door Website for the latest information.
— Tammye Nash