BOYNTON BEACH, Fla., April 5, 2017 – Thanks to the support of sponsors, a crowd-drawing speaker and 550+ attendees, the 26th annual Love of Literacy luncheon raised $200,000 for the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County. The money will be used for literacy programs that improve the quality of life for thousands in Palm Beach County.
Award-winning author, poet and naturalist Diane Ackerman headlined the March 16th luncheon at the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach. Her nonfiction work, The Zookeeper’s Wife, was made into a movie and just hit theaters at the end of March.
Luncheon sponsors were Presenting Sponsor: Bank of America; Platinum Sponsor: Brenda Medore; Diamond Sponsor: Schmidt Family Foundation; Gold Sponsors: Akerman LLP, AT&T, GL Homes, Greenberg Traurig, P.A., The Palm Beach Post, Searcy, Denney, Barnhart & Shipley, P.A. and Squire Patton Boggs; and Silver Sponsors: Chiara & Tom Clark and Jennifer & James Cacioppo, Florida Power & Light, Haile Shaw & Pfaffenberger, P.A., Levenger Foundation, Lynn University, Northern Trust, Plastridge Insurance and WPTV 5.
Members of the 2017 Love of Literacy Luncheon Committee included Leanne Adair, Dr. Regine Bataille, Jennifer Cacioppo, Kristin Calder, Chiara Clark, David Fleisher, Lisa Fullmer, Deborah Ghostine, Mim Harrison, Stephanie Kahlert, Lynn Kalber, Lawrence Katz, Patricia Knobel, Penny Kosinski, Dr. Joseph Lee, Hilary Lynch, Beatriz Mavlios, Bernadette O’Grady, Nicole Pasquale, Susan Rabinowitz, Tandy Robinson, Lori Richman, Karen Rogers, Carol Rose, Lourdes Sanchez, Laura Silver, Jorgette Smith, Therese Snyder, Ken Spillias, Emily Wilson, and Bettina Young, chair.
About the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County A recipient of the coveted 4-star Charity Navigator rating for eight consecutive years, the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County works to improve the quality of life in our community by promoting and achieving literacy. One in seven adults in our county is unable to read and understand information found in books, newspapers and manuals and nearly half of all third graders are not reading on grade level. Through extensive outreach and collaboration with a network of community partners, the Literacy Coalition strives to ensure that individuals who need to improve their literacy skills receive the help they need. By providing services to more than 27,000 adults, children and families each year, the Literacy Coalition’s goal is for every child and every adult in Palm Beach County to be able to read.
