Your gift of time or resources can change a child’s life. 

Sometimes it’s baffling to know where you can make a real difference in today’s world with problems that seem big and insurmountable. We make that easy. By helping thousands of children gain access to books and build confidence, literacy skills, and a love of reading—right in our own neighborhoods—we can reduce the negative ripple effects of illiteracy and help children realize their full potential.

SMART Reading is a cost-effective model, focused on kids and powered by our community of volunteers. Each year, we reach thousands of Oregon kids in our highest-need schools and marginalized communities with shared reading time and free, high-quality books to keep. Importantly, we know it works. Reading motivation and enjoyment are critical components of literacy development; by the end of the year, 9 in 10 SMART Reading students grow in their enjoyment of reading.

We need your help now more than ever. Investments in early literacy yield extraordinary public returns. Making a gift of time or resources to SMART Reading is an investment in brighter, more successful futures for Oregon kids and our state overall.

Hear from Elida, a SMART Reading first-grader on what new books mean to her.