About Us

The South Sound Reading Foundation aims to ensure that every child is read with 20 minutes a day starting at birth. Reading just 20 minutes a day to young children is key to healthy brain development, family bonding, and success in school. Daily family reading also helps children develop a larger vocabulary, a longer attention span, and better listening skills.

The Foundation does this by educating and reminding families about the importance of reading each day, and by striving to get books to every child and in every home so that every child is read with daily.

Each year the Reading Foundation gives away thousands of new and used books to area children.  With each book, the Foundation informs and reminds families about the importance of reading daily. Their programs/partnerships include: • “Books for Babies” (hospital baby book bags) • “Born to Read” (pediatric literacy) • “Adopt-a-Daycare” (volunteer storytimes for children in child care or preschool) • BookVan & Mascot “Booker T. (Twenty) Bear” (makes visits to schools and community events to distribute books) • “Book Boxes for Literacy” (books for students in need) • “Connect With Me” (book shelves in courthouses & correctional facilities) Our 2006-07 school district partners include Griffin, Hood Canal, Mary M. Knight, North Thurston, Olympia, Rochester, Southside, Tenino, Tumwater and Yelm. Business partners include: Ross/Similac Advance, Olympia Federal Savings, Target, TwinStar Credit Union, South Sound Bank, and the Fred Meyer Foundation. Community partners include: Altrusa International of Olympia, United Way of Thurston Co., Junior League of Olympia, Thurston-Mason County Medical Society Alliance, Zonta of South Puget Sound, KGY Radio, The Olympian, Valley Athletic Club, Timberland Regional Library, The Hands-On Children's Museum, Scholastic Books, TOGETHER!, Sound to Harbor Head Start/ECEAP, Child Care Action Council, and area Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs. If you are interested in making a donation, organizing a book drive, hosting a presentation, or volunteering, please call us at (360) 412-4499. Together, we can change the face of literacy in our community...one child at a time! Jennifer Forster, Executive Director