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
As Escape Spa Expands in 2025, Owner Has Advice on Personal Growth: ‘Focus on Intention Setting’

CHANGE IS A good thing, and with the start of a new year, I always like to reflect on how far I've come and start fresh by setting self-care goals for the coming months. Personal growth is a passion for me, and also something I enjoy. Guiding a business through growth and change is also one of my passions, so I am very pleased to announce that Escape Spa is going to be expanding in 2025! We’re honored that we’ve built such a loyal following since opening in Cypress in July of 2022, and we’re thrilled to be in a position to grow our wellness and recovery sanctuary just outside of Houston.

Keep ReadingShow less

Duck N Bao's bento boxes are part of Dine Out Rice Village

HOUSTON'S EVER-GENEROUS restaurant scene is already at it in 2025. Here are three ways foodies can dig in, raise a glass, and support important causes in January.

Keep ReadingShow less
Food

BY NOW, MOST of us are bracing for whatever Mother Nature decides to bring next week, be it snow, ice, or just a lot of bad traffic.

Keep ReadingShow less
Food