OUR HISTORY

From our humble beginnings supporting Sailors and Marines at the 32nd Street Naval Base in San Diego to supporting every military branch around the world through multiple delivery channels, including the United Through Reading App, United Through Reading strengthens military families’ literacy, emotional bonds, and well-being through the power of reading together at every age, no matter the distance.

35 Years of Connection & Literacy

1989
Family Literacy Foundation Formed

Family Literacy Foundation Formed

Founder Betty Mohlenbrock forms Family Literacy Foundation and begins making video recordings on VHS tapes of Sailors reading to their children prior to deployment.
1991
United Through Reading Onboard

United Through Reading Onboard

Our program, United Through Reading, begins to deploy onboard Navy ships serving Sailors and Marines.

2006
UTR Goes Global

UTR Goes Global

We enter into partnership with the USO to expand our reach to all branches of service around the world.

2006
First Lady Serves as Honorary Chair

First Lady Serves as Honorary Chair

First Lady Laura Bush serves as the Honorary Chair of our Military Program.

2007
Officially United Through Reading

Officially United Through Reading

Our organization’s name officially changes to United Through Reading.

2007
Featured on Oprah

Featured on Oprah

We’re featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show’s “Cheers to You” episode.

2009
Target Corporation Sponsors Starter Kit

Target Corporation Sponsors Starter Kit

Target sponsors our inaugural Starter Kit with books, DVDs, and bookplates to send to UTR recording sites.

2009
Awarded Peter F. Drucker Award

Awarded Peter F. Drucker Award

We are awarded the Peter F. Drucker Award for Nonprofit Innovation.

2010
One Million Beneficiaries

One Million Beneficiaries

UTR reaches our one millionth beneficiary and receives the National Book Foundation’s Innovation in Reading Award.

2011
Invited to Joining Forces Launch

Invited to Joining Forces Launch

We accepted an invitation to the Joining Forces initiative led by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden.

2013
Launched STEM Campaign

Launched STEM Campaign

UTR launches our inaugural STEM the Summer Slide campaign, encouraging literacy and interest in STEM subjects.

2015
Awarded American Prize

Awarded American Prize

We receive the American Prize of the Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program.

2016
Awarded Community Service Hero Award

Awarded Community Service Hero Award

UTR surpasses two million beneficiaries and receives the inaugural Community Service Hero Award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

2017
40 Million Stories Campaign Launched

40 Million Stories Campaign Launched

We launch our 40 Million Stories Campaign with Reader’s Digest Foundation as the Founding Sponsor to highlight the number of missed stories by military children each year.

2018
Mobile Story Station Launched

Mobile Story Station Launched

With support from BAE Systems, UTR launches the first Mobile Story Station in San Diego to serve military communities where they are, at work and in the community.

2019
United Through Reading App Launched

United Through Reading App Launched

We introduced the United Through Reading App to connect more service members with their families during times of military separation. Anytime. Anywhere.

2020
UTR Responds to COVID-19 through App and Drive-Thru Events

UTR Responds to COVID-19 through App and Drive-Thru Events

UTR continued to connect military families through reading, adding ebooks, improvements to the UTR App, and drive-thru events with partners.

2022
First Lady Jill Biden takes UTR to Eastern Europe

First Lady Jill Biden takes UTR to Eastern Europe

Dr. Biden read “Night Catch” alongside US Army Staff Sergeant Sharon Rogers for her son, Nathan, in honor of Mother’s Day.

2022
Second Mobile Story Station Launched, serving the East Coast

Second Mobile Story Station Launched, serving the East Coast

Thanks to support from BAE Systems, the second Mobile Story Station starts to serve military families on the East Coast.

2023
Inaugural Book for the Military Child

Inaugural Book for the Military Child

During Month of the Military Child, we launch the Book for the Military Child, a book that unites and celebrates military children across the globe through their shared experiences. Our inaugural choice was The Kissing Hand, which perfectly captures something all military kids can relate to—the need to stay connected to a loved one, even when you can’t be with them.

2023
Operation Storytime Campaign Launched

Operation Storytime Campaign Launched

We launch Operation Storytime, our campaign to connect #TheNextMillion military families in record time with the help of 5-Star Partner Reader’s Digest Foundation.

The foundation of Operation Storytime is its four missions:  

  • Mission READ – ensuring access to books and the ability to read every day; 
  • Mission RECONNECT – keeping military families connected through shared storytime;
  • Mission READY – supporting family readiness by providing the ability to be more reading-ready;
  • Mission REACH – reaching every part of our diverse military community, especially under-served populations.

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