About Us

The Children's Reading Foundation is a national nonprofit with community-based reading foundation chapters and early childhood education programs across the country and in Canada. The foundation serves families, schools and communities by providing proven programs, tools and research to help nurture a child's development from birth through third grade in ways that foster essential early literacy, math and social-emotional skills.

The foundation uses a multi-pronged approach and teams with local, state and national partners to achieve its vital work.

A network of community-based Chapters of The Children’s Reading Foundation exists throughout the country. The chapters are dedicated to ensuring that every child learns to read early and well, thereby reaching his or her full potential in school and life. Each chapter helps improve early literacy and motivate families and area residents to “Read with a Child. It’s the Most Important 20 Minutes of Your Day.”

READY! for Kindergarten school readiness program sites are established nationwide at schools, nonprofits, community foundations and more. Through a series of educational workshops, families and child care providers learn how to foster a child’s learning from birth to age 5. At each workshop, parents and caregivers receive age-appropriate developmental targets, training, and tools to keep and use at home or child care centers to support daily play with a purpose learning.

READ Up: Stop the Summer Slide literacy program events aim to reverse the “summer slide,” a situation where students lose up to three months of reading skills when school is out. Children receive free books, and adults receive tips and tools to continue reading with their child at least 20 minutes every day, even when school is not in session.