For change-seekers in North Texas, finding the best way to make an impact can sometimes feel challenging. There are plenty of volunteer and donation opportunities in our community—but identifying those that will actually make a difference can take time. 

At United Way Reading Day presented by Atmos Energy, held Friday, March 6, in classrooms across North Texas, the impact of every volunteer and every donation is immediately clear. Each time a volunteer reads to a classroom full of eager students, and each time a donated book is presented to a child, you can see the spark of excitement in their eyes.  

That was the experience for Sylvia, a volunteer at last year’s event, who says the children’s enthusiasm made a lasting impression. 

“Being in the classroom was amazing,” she said. “The children were so interactive. They asked questions, paid attention and were genuinely excited about the story. It was such a good feeling to be there with them.” 

This is the type of impact you can make by volunteering for United Way Reading Day. This year, the beloved tradition will once again bring together more than 1,000 volunteers to read to over 13,000 students in 1,000 elementary classrooms across North Texas. We invite anyone who is passionate about the region’s future to share their love of reading and help inspire a new generation of learners. 

Read on to learn more about the impact of Reading Day and why you should get involved. 

We Can All Work Together to Improve Early Literacy 

Reading Day is a uniquely fun and inspiring day, when individuals just like you get to spark a love of reading in local students. But the impact of the event goes well beyond that day. As a key part of our Aspire United Volunteer Series presented by Texas Instruments, Reading Day is a unique volunteer opportunity that enables supporters to have a direct impact on early literacy, which is foundational to the success of our region as a whole. 

Research indicates that by the end of third grade, 74% of struggling readers won’t ever catch up. That’s why it’s so important for children to have literacy opportunities and exposure as early as possible. Reading Day is just one way that we can expose students to fun reading experiences, together. 

The annual event directly supports our Aspire United 2030 goal to increase by 50% the number of North Texas students reading on grade level by third grade. This is a key milestone in every student’s life, because research shows that after third grade, most learning—up to 85%—is done by reading. When a child can read proficiently, they are equipped to grow their learning and skills over time, across all subjects.   

As a result, early literacy is foundational to long-term success in all three of our focus areas—education, income and health. Children who develop strong reading skills early are better prepared to learn, thrive and contribute as adults.  

Research shows the connection between education and other key areas: 

• Children who enter school ready to learn are more likely to read proficiently by third grade.  

• Students who read on grade level by third grade are five times more likely to graduate ready for success in college or career. 

• College graduates can earn $36,000 more a year, enabling them to save for the future. 

• Financially stable adults can access quality healthcare for themselves and their families.  

By encouraging early reading as a community, together we can advance our mission to create access and opportunity for all North Texans to thrive.  

Last Year’s Reading Day Impacted 15,000 Students 

During our Centennial Anniversary Reading Day, we united with volunteers from across our community to make meaningful change—together:  

• More than 1,000 classrooms participated 

• 1,000 volunteers read to local students 

• 15,000 scholars discovered beloved children’s books from the last 100 years, in honor of our Centennial Anniversary 

• 47 elementary campuses celebrated across 12 school districts 

• 2,900 literacy kits were prepared by our corporate partners 

• 5,000 books were donated to local schools 

In addition to thousands of dedicated volunteers, we were also honored to welcome last year’s honorary Reading Day chair, Charlotte Jones, chief brand officer and co-owner of the Dallas Cowboys. We appreciate Charlotte for supporting early literacy in North Texas and for helping to bring attention to this great cause.  

We’re Launching into Our Second Century of Impact 

At this year’s event, volunteers will share engaging, future-focused books designed to inspire imagination, confidence, and a love of learning. 

This year’s Reading Day theme—the future and its endless possibilities—aligns with the start of our next 100 years, as well as the promise and potential of the road ahead for local students.  

Reading Proficiency in North Texas 

Our main Aspire United 2030 education goal is to increase by 50% the number of students reading on grade level by third grade. We’re proud to report that thanks to your support we are on track, with recent data showing that third-grade reading proficiency has jumped more than 15% in our service area.  

Our community wide Aspire United 2030 goals are our set of 10-year benchmarks guiding our impact in the areas of education, income and health now through 2030. Together with our independent external evaluator, the Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation (PCCI), we closely track progress toward our Aspire United 2030 community goals.   

Support Early Literacy in North Texas 

Ready to make a difference right here in our community? Here are three ways you can support early literacy: 

1. Volunteer: Sign up as a Reading Day volunteer, and read to a classroom of elementary students on Friday, March 6. Hurry! Spots are filling up fast, and March 1 is the deadline to register. 

1. Give: Make a donation to support programs like Once Upon a Month, which delivers age-appropriate children’s books to North Texas children every month to encourage language development and spark a love of reading. 

1. Advocate: Join us in advocating for our legislative priorities, which include strengthening early literacy policies. Sign up for our Advocacy Alerts and Policy in Brief newsletter today.