SAVOR 2025 Shatters Records While Celebrating Iconic Philanthropists
All photos credited to Tony Lattimore Photography
SAVOR 2025 broke all previous fundraising records for The Literacy Project, marking a milestone moment in Newport Beach’s philanthropic landscape. Under the visionary leadership of Sue Grant, Founder and Volunteer CEO of The Literacy Project, and Event Co-Chair Amy Cardiff, the sold-out gala gathered 300 esteemed guests at the Newport Beach Country Club for a truly unforgettable night under the stars. Civic leaders, philanthropists, and community champions came together to celebrate the power of literacy, surrounded by a stunning showcase of luxury vehicles from Newport Beach Automotive Group and a whimsical art installation by Ethos Arts Inc. Guests were then ushered into an elegant garden-to-table dining experience accompanied by live jazz, before the evening reached its pinnacle with Master of Ceremonies Bart Zandbergen of The Zandbergen Group honoring three iconic families and individuals whose impactful contributions continue to shape and inspire the community.
In memoriam, Timothy Tamura, Founder of Valia Properties, was the first honoree. An avid reader and education enthusiast, Tim passed along the importance of those traits to his children and his legacy lives on through his beloved wife who accepted the award with a heartfelt speech, his family and the Valia Properties team. Next, The David A. Pyle Family, / OneRoot Foundation accepted their recognition and made a $50,000 donation on stage and then committed to matching every $2,500 donor at the event, totaling another $40,000 in funds raised. This act of generosity sparked an anonymous donor to make a surprise $100,000 donation during the evening. Finally, SAVOR welcomed legendary sports agent Leigh Steinberg, Founder and Chairman of Steinberg Sports and Entertainment, to the stage where he spoke about his lifelong love of books that stemmed from his dad being a librarian. Enjoying every aspect of SAVOR and its purpose, Leigh pledged to bring more athletes on board to support the cause in the future. This year, the Dream Maker Award was given to Reggie Biancalani, a former principal and the latest Literacy Project board member for her unwavering dedication to the SAVOR event. The Honorable Joe Stapleton, Mayor of Newport Beach, was on hand to award a proclamation as well. Thanks to all the honorees, the guests’ hearts were touched as they shared intimate career stories about the importance of reading in their journeys. The guests passionately responded by raising record-breaking funding in excess of $400,000 to serve The Literacy Project’s reading programs.
“I am moved beyond measure by the generosity of our sponsors, guests and the dedicated volunteer committee this year! SAVOR 2025 far exceeded our expectations, meaning we can assist more youth in learning the fundamental skills of reading. Tomorrow we will set out to find those vulnerable children who need us. Thankfully for the SAVOR funding, the sky is the limit for each and every one of them!” - Sue Grant, Founder and Volunteer CEO
About The Literacy Project:
Dedicated to eradicating illiteracy and empowering underserved youth, The Literacy Project was founded in 2009 by Sue Grant. The Literacy Project provides a free reading program for underserved children in low-income families who are performing far below reading proficiency and are destined to become functionality illiterate. Proudly, the nonprofit has taught over 11,500 children to read and gain the self-confidence and love of learning across three states.
Mayor Will O’Neill has recognized The Literacy Project with a special proclamation in honor of their impact which creates generational change. The Literacy Project has secured over $6 million in funding which has enabled the nonprofit to serve students in need and their schools at no cost. The organization’s 30-hour program significantly improves children’s reading abilities, with average skill improvements ranging from 76% to 129%. Additionally, The Literacy Project has donated $2.2 million worth of reading games to 52,750 family members, promoting literacy within families.
