Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly topic hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week she provides a topic, and you are free to use that topic and/or variations of that topic to make your top ten list. A full list of the weekly themes can be found here.
Today’s topic is actually books I hope Santa brings or bookish wishes, but I’d rather take time to promote reading and literacy charities. This is not an indictment on anyone who does participate in listing their own book wishes or supporting others. For myself, I am able to afford to buy my own books, so I want to help others who don’t have the privilege and access I do. I’ve checked these charities on Charity Navigator, and all of the ones I feature in this post are 90% or above. Also, these are only a fraction of reading and literacy organizations.
Of course, I wouldn’t be the librarian that I am if I didn’t mention libraries in general. Whenever or however you can, support your local library. This can be as simple as just checking out books and going to the events they host.
Reading is Fundamental: RIF connects children with the joy of reading to spark imaginations and possibilities, putting kids on a path of reading proficiency. They works to disrupt the alarming U.S. literacy crisis by inspiring the joy of reading in children, a critical element to driving the frequency, motivation, and engagement needed to create skilled readers.
Books for Africa: Founded upon a singular mission: to end the book famine in Africa. BFA collects, sorts, and ships books, computers, tablets, and library enhancement materials to every country in Africa. Collaborating with donors, publishers, and African partners to provide empowerment to children and students. They supply relevant books in English, French, and national languages, but they don’t stop there. They also work to supply computers and tablets with digital content, specialty post-secondary materials, and supplies to create vibrant learning spaces.
Reading Partners: Since 1999, Reading Partners has been mobilizing communities to provide students with the proven, individualized reading support they need to read at grade level by fourth grade. Over the next several years, they plant to advance educational equity by expanding direct tutoring, developing and growing partnerships, and investing in innovation.
First Books: First Book is dedicated to ensuring that all children, regardless of their background or zip code, can succeed, by removing barriers to equitable education. Our First Book Network, a community of more than 600,000 individual educators and professionals who serve kids in under-resourced communities, has unparalleled knowledge into the educational barriers that confront their students. (Blogger note: This is actually one I’ve been supporting for over a decade and absolutely love!)
ProLiteracy: I’m really excited to feature this charity because while there are many organizations that support children’s reading and literacy (which I’m not saying is bad in anyway), there’s not nearly enough for adult literacy. 48 million adults in the U.S.—and 800 million worldwide—struggle with basic reading, writing, math, and computer skills. Literacy unlocks the potential of adults to reach goals for themselves, advance their career, more fully engage with their community, and create a brighter future for the next generation. A proven leader in empowering adults through literacy for over 60 years.
Room to Read: Room to Read is creating a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality. They achieve this goal by helping children in historically low-income communities develop literacy skills and a habit of reading, and by supporting girls as they build skills to succeed in school and negotiate key life decisions. They collaborate with governments and other partner organizations to deliver positive outcomes for children at scale.
Children’s Literacy Initiative: Children’s Literacy Initiative seeks to dismantle structural racism by providing Black and Latinx children with the anti-racist early literacy instruction, support, and advocacy needed to create equity in education. Founded in 1988, CLI began as the hope of a single librarian in Philadelphia. Today CLI transforms education by empowering educators, bridging literacy gaps in high-need populations.
National Center for Families Learning: NCFL has been a leader in family learning since 1989, developing strategies, models, and resources designed for families and practitioners to create a multigenerational impact. NCFL believes that communities grow and thrive when the whole family is engaged in learning together and parents and caregivers have a voice in the systems that serve them.
Reach Out & Read: In partnership with clinicians, Reach Out and Read leverages the well-child visit, using books and shared reading to support caregivers in fostering early literacy and healthy relationships with infants and young children. The only literacy model endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Reach Out and Read annually serves 4.6 million children across every U.S. state.
These are so cool! I hadn’t heard of any of them.