Local Literacy Nonprofit — and the Astros! —Turns the Page at Record-Breaking Bash

Local Literacy Nonprofit — and the Astros! —Turns the Page at Record-Breaking Bash

Deviyani Misra-Godwin and Paul LeBlanc

LITERACY NOW, A Houston nonprofit dedicated to empowering children through reading, hosted its most successful fundraiser ever at the St. Regis Hotel.


Its 14th annual “Magnums Make a Difference” gala, which included a four-course meal along with silent and live auctions, brought in more than half a million dollars, which will go directly to helping students in HISD and Aldine ISD, where thousands of K-2nd grade students currently need reading intervention that the districts cannot provide.

The evening honored Bhakti Khatri-Horton and Monsterville Horton IV, longstanding Literacy Now board members who pioneered the gala 13 years ago, and also recognized third-grade student April, who appeared with Literacy Now CEO Jacque Daughtry on the Kelly Clarkson Show this spring to show off how far she’s come in her reading progress.

The hundreds of attendees stuck around to catch the end of the Astros’ World Series game 6 — and then the celebrations continued into the night.

Steve Kesten, Lynee Larson and Bret Pardue

Jacque Daughtry and third-grader April

Lokesh Chugh and Jusleen Karve

Monsterville Horton IV and Bhakti Khatri-Horton

Jacque Daughtry, Dylan and Monsterville Horton IV

People + Places

Curried Mussels

JASON GOULD IS best known as the chef behind Common Bond, one of Houston’s go-to spots for easy French-inspired bites and pastries. But now, Gould has created a comfort-food menu for another locally-owned resto — 1891 American Eatery & Bar in the Heights. It’s part of a partnership with Garza Management Group that has recently taken over Common Bond. Boasting an expansive patio, the new resto describes itself as having a “family-friendly pub atmosphere."

Keep Reading Show less
Food

Terry and Amanda Boffone, Bill Baldwin and Fady Armanious, and Jayne and Garrett Johnston

AN ANNUAL TRADITION benefiting Bo's Place, the Hats, Hearts & Horseshoes bash was this year held at the Post Oak Hotel. Nearly 400 festively dressed supporters trotted into the ballroom, greeted by event chairs Fady Armanious and Bill Baldwin, Amanda and Terry Boffone, and Jayne and Garrett Johnston.

Keep Reading Show less