How Words Alive Creates Life-long Learners

We believe that if you value reading and understand its fundamental connection to all aspects of your life, you will thrive as a life-long learner, ready to transform your community.  Since 1999, we have focused on providing equitable learning opportunities in our community. Beyond just putting books in the hands of children and families, we empower them with the tools and resources they need to utilize reading as a tool that opens doors in their futures. Through our Read Aloud, Adolescent Book Group, and Family Literacy programs we serve an average of 5,000 children, youth, and families throughout San Diego County each month. 

Read Aloud Program

Reading aloud to young children is the most important thing we can do to help them become motivated, strong readers. Our Read Aloud volunteers do just that, sharing the joy of a good story while helping children develop the cognitive, language, and social-emotional skills needed to be capable readers. Understanding the importance of book ownership in developing a love of reading, we also gift each child a new, quality book to keep 2-3 times per program year! 

Adolescent Book Group

The Adolescent Book Group (ABG) is Words Alive’s flagship program. Designed to engage youth and teens facing extraordinary circumstances in engaging conversation around books representing contemporary themes, book groups bring caring adults into classrooms to help support young people as they explore how to make connections between what they are reading and the world around them.

Family Literacy

Words Alive makes reading exciting for the entire family by empowering caregivers to become their child’s first and most important teacher. We give families the knowledge and resources they need to make reading a part of their daily routine by using the power of play.