Words Alive could not let 2023 close without sharing a few exciting headlines as we continue to write the Words Alive story. Thanks to our dedicated volunteers and generous donors, last year Words Alive inspired a love of reading for a record-setting 5,500 children, teens, and families across San Diego – and we mean love:
““[The workshops] have really helped and encouraged her. Now she actually tries to read – everywhere we go, she reads signs on the road or in stores! Reading has helped her become more confident and independent.””
““When students get a new book, they want to have a safe place for it. A lot of kids are in unstable households and move around a lot, so the kids…keep their prized items in their backpacks, so they won’t get left behind or lost when going to their aunt’s house, or Grandma’s house across the border. When I check their backpacks at the end of the year, I find all their [Words Alive] books in there.””
We hope you enjoy this snapshot of our year!
Our Permanent Home
After nearly 25 years of serving San Diego, Words Alive is thrilled to have a permanent home! Karen and Jeff Silberman donated a 5,000 sq. ft. building in East Village, valued at $2 million. This transformational gift is ideal to meet Words Alive’s needs; roughly 70% of Words Alive’s partners are within six miles of our new headquarters, increasing access for volunteers to serve San Diego’s youth.
Impactful Programming
In the 2022-23 program year, Words Alive connected 5,675 children, teens, and families to the power of reading through three research-based programs:
Our Family Literacy Program ignited a love of reading for 1,411 families by utilizing the power of play in a six-week workshop series offered in English and Spanish. Through the virtual and in-person workshops with Head Start, transitional kindergarten, and community partners, data is showing that families read, on average, one additional day a week following their participation in the program.
Volunteers in our Read Aloud Program led weekly read alouds with 2,355 elementary students in Title I schools throughout San Diego County. 91% of teachers indicated their students shared the books they were gifted from Words Alive with their families, displaying the enthusiasm for learning that research shows improves outcomes around school participation and attendance.
Our Adolescent Book Group engaged 496 young adults in spirited explorations of diverse books relevant to their lived experiences. Learners reported growth in key areas of interest, confidence, and time spent reading. Making connections to and through text is an important cornerstone of this program; this past year, 70% of students reported they learned to connect with others in their book group in a new way.
Increasing Access
Words Alive’s commitment to increasing access to engaging, relevant books is rooted in the data. Research shows growing up in a home with 100 books – especially diverse and language-appropriate books - is the tipping point at which students consistently read at grade level. To aid in that quest, we distributed over 16,000 books last school year, each paired with a custom learning kit with school supplies and a tie-in craft activity designed to deepen connection to the text.
Dedicated Volunteers
In the 2022-23 program year, we engaged 1,083 volunteers from around the globe, supported by a small staff of 13. The estimated value of our volunteers’ service over the past year exceeded $220,000! We thank our volunteers, and all our supporters, for making reading matter for San Diego’s youth.
National Recognition
In December 2023, the PGA TOUR announced that Words Alive has been named the 2023 PGA TOUR Charity of the Year! This national award marks an exciting new chapter in Words Alive’s story, and the accompanying $30,000 grant will directly support our mission to open opportunities to success by inspiring a commitment to reading.
Thank you for your support in the movement to make reading matter for young people across San Diego. We look forward to celebrating our 25th anniversary with you in 2024 and, of course, connecting even more children, teens, and families with the power of reading!
