LETTER FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
AILEENSANCHEZGONZALEZ Founder and Executive Director
Dear friends of Uplift Literacy,
Reflecting on the past year, I am filled with immense pride and gratitude for our incredible journey at Uplift Literacy. Your support and dedication have made our remarkable achievements possible, and it is with great pleasure that I present our 2023-2024 Impact Report.
When I founded Uplift Literacy in 2022, my vision was to address the critical reading gaps I witnessed firsthand as an educator. I saw the frustration and discouragement in the eyes of students reading below grade level when they struggled to keep up with their peers I knew that something more had to be done to give every child the opportunity to succeed
Thanks to your support, this year, we have impacted a total of 471 children and 230 parents, distributing 3,245 books across our programs.
I am delighted to announce this year’s significant growth of our ReadingPals program over the past year. We have expanded from 13 to 39 classrooms, increased our volunteer base from 34 to 97, and reached more students growing from 72 to 219, marking an impressive increase of over 65%
This summer, we also proudly launched Uplift Summer Readers, aimed at keeping children engaged in reading during the summer months and preventing learning loss I am deeply moved by the stories of transformation and success that have emerged from our programs From children overcoming shyness to confidently reading aloud, to parents expressing gratitude for the newfound love of reading in their homes, to remarkable gains in literacy skills, these testimonials are a powerful reminder of the importance of our work.
As we look forward to another year of growth and impact, I am excited about what lies ahead. In the coming year, we plan to double the number of parent workshops and storytime events, expand our ReadingPals program, and continue increasing access to books in our community. We are eager to expand our reach, bringing our programs and resources to even more children and families, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed and discover the joy of reading
Thank you for being fueled by a passion to make a difference in the lives of young readers We could not have achieved this without you
Warm regards,
Aileen Sanchez Gonzalez Founder and Executive Director
Uplift Literacy’s mission is to maximize lifelong success for children by improving their reading proficiency – at school, at home, and in their communities.
Through our free initiatives, we strive to create a Miami where every child can have access to tools and resources necessary to succeed in school and life. We believe that the ability to read is a fundamental human right, and we are committed to breaking down barriers and fostering a love for reading in every home.
MISSION: BYTHE NUMBERS
Thanks to your support, this year we have impacted
471 CHILDREN 230 PARENTS
3,245 BOOKS and distributed across
READINGPALS:
ReadingPals is an early literacy initiative that pairs trained volunteer mentors from the community with students in Pre-K through 3rd grade who are struggling with reading or at risk of falling behind. Our volunteers build meaningful relationships with children while helping improve their social-emotional development and early literacy skills.
100% of school liaisons who completed our end-of-year-survey saw an increase in students' enthusiasm and interest in reading since implementing the ReadingPals program.
After 31weeks of participating in ReadingPals sessions, students demonstrated remarkable progress, with an average increase of 78% in phonemic awareness and phonics skills assessment scores, and an impressive 83%improvement in oral reading fluency.
pre-K - 3rd grade children served 219
97
Trained Volunteers
94%
11
39
of our volunteers would recommend ReadingPals to a friend sessions conducted over 31 weeks
2,316 1,358
free books distributed to children
4,632 a remarkable 64% increase, growing from 34 volunteers in 22-23 to 97 volunteers in 2024 training sessions held for volunteers hours building socioemotional and early literacy skills classrooms
TESTIMONIALS
READINGPALS
“A few weeks after we commenced this program, one of our 2nd grade students, who had been struggling with reading, ran up to greet me when I arrived, jumping up and down in excitement with a book in their hand and exclaimed, 'Coach! I want to read this book to you!' I'm still emotional thinking about this experience, not only because of how proud they were of this accomplishment and wanting to share with me, but prior to this, the child was always so shy and had never expressed this kind of confidence before in their academics.”
-Alex Pou, Executive Director at The Home Team
“Many of the students have shared how much they enjoy ReadingPals. They expressed excitement and anticipation for their ReadingPal days, eagerly looking forward to when the program comes to the school. These special times have become a highlight for them, reflecting their enthusiasm and the positive impact the program has on their learning experience.”
-Teacher at Colonial Drive Elementary
“The ReadingPals program helped my child build her reading abilities. She doesn't see reading like a chore anymore. She can take a book and start to read alone. I appreciate the valuable work provided by the program”
-Parent at Dave Lawrence Jr. Elementary
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE:
Our family engagement events are designed to connect families to existing resources in the community and educate families on how to become advocates for literacy development at home. We host a monthly parent workshop and storytime event where parents and caretakers are introduced to foundations of early literacy, educated on tools that can be used to support literacy development at home, while simultaneously instilling a love for reading in children.
Geographic Locations Served: Cutler Bay, Downtown Miami, Kendall, Hialeah, Homestead, Westchester, West Little River, Aventura
BYTHENUMBERS
252
230 youth participants
237
25 adult participants volunteers trained and recruited free books distributed to children throughout the year
9
11 workshops storytime & comprehension events
TESTIMONIALS
FAMILYENGAGEMENTINITIATIVE
“The reading strategies mentioned during the workshop were beneficial, and the choice of the book during story time was great. “Brown Bear” is one of my son's favorite books, and I believe since the event, he has been wanting to read it more and actually remembers it by heart.”
-Jana, Parent
“I was very impressed with the literacy workshop and story time event. They shared useful information and tips for the parents as to how to engage our little one's to love reading.”
-Soleil, Parent
“The parent workshop was very helpful as it provided us with valuable information about the importance of instilling a love for reading in our children. This fosters early learning outcomes, including expanding vocabulary, improving spelling, and enhancing their intellect. I would love to attend more workshops that provide us with tools to motivate them to explore the wonderful world of reading.”
-Danay, Parent
BOOKBINS:
Access to books matters. Our free book bin distribution program is designed to provide historically marginalized communities with easy access to diverse books By placing book bins in the waiting areas of local businesses such as laundromats, barber shops, and pediatric offices, we promote a culture of reading within the community.
BYTHENUMBERS
1,650 free books distributed to children throughout the year 36
Bookbins
Geographic Locations Served: Brownsville, Cutler Bay, Fontainebleau, Gladeview, Hialeah, Kendall, Little Havana, Overtown, Palmetto Bay, Richmond Heights, Tamiami Lakes, The Crossings
TESTIMONIAL:
“Uplift Literacy’s generous book bin donation has transformed the waiting area of our Pediatric Mobile Unit at the University of Miami Our young patients are now more engaged in reading, opting for books while they wait.”
-Wendy
De
La Rua, MD Lead Pediatrician at Pediatric Mobile Unit
PARTNERSHIPS&SUPPORTERS:
Our achievements were made possible through the support of our volunteers, partners, supporters, board members, friends, and family.
Uplift Literacy is also a Regional Partner with the New Worlds Reading Initiative, Florida’s free book delivery program that supports students in strengthening literacy skills, building reading confidence, and encouraging a lifelong love of reading.
GET INVOLVED
JOINUSINMAKINGADIFFERENCE INTHELIVESOFYOUNGREADERS!
VOLUNTEER
Become a ReadingPals mentor or help at our family engagement events. Your time and dedication can make a lasting impact on a child's life.
SPREADTHEWORD
mission with your network rage others to join our cause.
STAYINFORMED
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Did you know that Uplift Literacy also provides a newsletter for parents with valuable tips and resources to enhance children’s literacy at home, plus updates on upcoming events? Sign up here!
