Newport officers pitch in for Special Olympics at restaurant Tip-A-Cop fundraiser

Several Newport Beach police officers served as celebrity hosts Monday at Javier’s restaurant on East Coast Highway for a Tip-A-Cop fundraiser benefiting Special Olympics Southern California.

The event raised $8,254, according to the Police Department.

Special Olympics athlete Max Grasso, an animation artist who attends Cal State Long Beach, shared his story with customers.

“Even though I have a disability, autism, I have many abilities,” he said. “Being on a team changes your outlook on life, because it’s a family.”

Susan Hoffman is a contributor to Times Community News. Staff writer Hannah Fry contributed to this report.

UPDATES:

3:15 p.m.: This article was updated with the amount of money raised.

This article was originally published at 2:30 p.m.