National Nonprofit Day
August 17, 2022
National Nonprofit Day is designed to recognize nonprofit organizations like United Through Reading and their ongoing efforts to serve communities.
Here’s a look at how United Through Reading serves the military community and how a $50 a month donation can make a tremendous difference in the lives of those who serve, and have served, our country and their families.
Military Families Served
United Through Reading is proud to have served more than 2.7 million military family members since it was founded in 1989. The longstanding nonprofit served 199,892 military family members in 2021. The number of military families continues to grow as our military force is consistently separated from their loved ones to support missions at home and abroad.
United Through Reading App
The app was created in 2019 to provide military families with a simple and convenient way to utilize our program, no matter where they are in the world. Our users recorded and shared over 5,000 stories on the app to stay connected with their families in 2021. Last fall, we also reached a milestone when a Navy sailor shared the 10,000th story for his 8-month-old son before deployment. Download the app today at utr.org/app.
Mobile Story Stations
Our Mobile Story Stations drive wherever military families frequent, allowing service members to sit back, relax with a favorite book, and video record themselves reading to their families at work or in their community. We have one Mobile Story Station based in San Diego. In May 2022, we added a Mobile Story Station on the east coast, based in Washington D.C. Learn more about how to bring the Mobile Story Station to your event here.
UTR Events
We love helping service members and veterans in person! United Through Reading worked with 590 military commands, veterans, and service organizations in 2021 alone. We have face-to-face conversations with parents about the importance of reading and help children understand that reading is fun! Email us if you’d like UTR to attend an event for military families near you.
Books Distributed
Books are crucial to our mission at United Through Reading. In 2021, UTR distributed
49,973 books to military children around the world. We give away books at special events, ship them in the mail, and distribute them in pre-deployment kits. Our experts curate a list of books for each age and reading level, from newborns to 18-year-olds. Check it out here https://unitedthroughreading.org/how-it-works/book-list/recommended-books/.
Podcast
United Through Reading launched season one of the “Ready for Reading” podcast last spring. The podcast is designed to help military families create and maintain a fun reading routine to continue bonding through separation. The three-episode series is hosted by military spouse, mom, and UTR staff member Josie Beets. Season two is currently in the works! Listen to our free podcast today https://rss.com/podcasts/readyforreading/.
Contribute to UTR
Did you know that just a $50.00 monthly donation can give 12 military families storytime with far-away loved ones every year? In addition, you can become a member of our passionate Bridge Builders community for a $50.00 monthly donation. Members of The Bridge receive several benefits, including; recognition for being a member on The Bridge webpage, a welcome gift, photos and stories of the families you’ve impacted, quarterly progress updates, and a chance to be a featured supporter. Join today at give.utr.org.
Sponsor Support
All our work is made possible because of our generous supporters. Their steadfast support means that military-connected families are able to read together every day, with a new book and storytime recording, even when military service takes their loved one far from home. United Through Reading is particularly grateful to Readers Digest Foundation, BAE Systems, Inc., Dollar General Literacy Foundation, USAA Federal Savings Bank, Veterans United Foundation, Carter’s Charitable Foundation, Northrop Grumman, Pilot Company, and many more for their years of support for our program. See all of our donors at utr.org/lifetime-donors