Deployments and frequent separations are a reality for military families. In fact, every year, more than 100,000 military parents deploy leaving nearly 250,000 children at home. That's millions of bedtime stories missed each year by military children.
At UTR, what we do is simple. Stories are read aloud by service members and captured on video to be sent home to military children. Through these simple stories children see their loved ones face, hear their familiar voice, and as they read along in their book something profound takes place:
- The anxiety and stress, caused by separation, fades
- Service members become part of the family’s daily life at home again
- Caregivers at home are supported because the parenting responsibility is shared
- Homecomings begin with a child welcoming a familiar parent, not a stranger
- A love of reading and books is sparked in the child
Maintain FAMILY CONNECTIONS, boosting morale and making
reintegration easier. 93% of families said the United Through Reading program made family bonds stronger.
Reinforce FAMILY ROUTINES which reduces stress for the whole family. 98% of families said United Through Reading is a critical family readiness and resiliency tool.
Provide COMMUNICATION that is reliable, repeatable, and accessible storytime on demand. 97% of families said UTR recordings made deployments or separations easier.
Promote DAILY READING, which strengthens military children’s literacy skills and educational development. 90% of families reported an increase in a child’s love of reading since watching UTR video-recordings.
When Melodye Whitesell’s family was facing their first deployment with children in the 1990s, Melodye worried about her young children and possible separation anxiety from their dad, now Vice Admiral […]
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United Through Reading provided 800 reading ready kits for distribution to National Guard families around the country. WASHINGTON (February 13, 2023) — On Saturday, the First Lady, Second Gentleman, U.S. […]
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Read-aloud storytime is a crucial component in children’s healthy development and essential for literacy skills. According to a National Academies of Sciences study, reading stories aloud is associated with positive […]
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