EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY

Read United

Read United is a year-round series of programs that aim to improve early language and childhood literacy for all children in our region.

Why is it important?Literacy Programs

What you can do

Volunteer

Help a child discover the joy and power of reading.

Donate

Help us put books in the hands of every child. Donate to Read United and give young readers the tools they need to succeed.

Sponsor

Invest in the future of our community. Become a Read United sponsor and help ensure every child has access to books and literacy support.

Why is Childhood Literacy Important?

Reading proficiency and literacy is vital to the success of our community. Children with reading difficulties are more likely to experience health and behavioral problems, teen pregnancy, premature departures from school, trouble sustaining employment, and even poverty. Through Read United, we seek to increase opportunities for achievement and brighter futures for all by ensuring that children reach important language milestones.

By the Numbers

By the end of the third-grade children should be shifting from learning to read to reading to learn.

Children who struggle with reading early on are more likely to struggle in other subjects such as math, science, and social studies.

3rd grade students who are not proficient in reading by the end of the year are four times more likely to drop out of high school.

By age 10, a child’s path to success is determined by their reading proficiency.

United Way of the Coastal Empire is bettering our community—one book at a time!

Literacy Programs

With Upward Mobility in mind, United Way of the Coastal Empire intends to help build a ready & resilient workforce and a better future for our youngest citizens. One strategy to accomplish this is to advance early childhood literacy. Through the support of our donors, volunteers, and partnerships, the below programs are implemented year-round in our region.

Read United Day

Read United Day reaches Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, Liberty, and Long counties, promoting literacy and a love for reading. On this day, nearly 1,000 United Way volunteers will read to classrooms and leave a new book behind for each class. In Bryan, Effingham, Liberty, and Long counties, every child will receive a new book to take home. In Chatham County, United Way will continue our pilot reading competition with the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, designed to motivate and reward students for reading more books. Students and their families can access the public library, participate in programs, and borrow up to five books at a time. In total, Read United day benefits more than 20,000 children!

Learn More & Volunteer

Read United Buddies

Partnering with The Rotary Club of Savannah and the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, Read United Buddies is a one-on-one reading program that connects second-grade students in Chatham County with dedicated volunteers for shared reading experiences using an evidence-based curriculum. Volunteers commit to spending one hour twice a week at an assigned school, supporting a second grader who needs help reading on grade level.

Volunteer

Summer Reading

Summer Reading Programs across Bryan, Effingham, and Liberty counties provide children with books to enjoy throughout the summer, fostering a love for reading and learning.

Volunteer

Partnerships

Deal Center’s Language as a Missing Link

In 2022, the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy recognized United Way of the Coastal Empire as one of only two organizations in Georgia to receive the Language as a Missing Link Champion Award. The initiative focused on implementing the Language as a Missing Link toolkit to strengthen language and literacy skills in children from birth to age 8, and on developing a plan for widespread community implementation across diverse support systems. In 2025, this collective-impact approach continues to advance strategies for improving language and literacy outcomes among early learners. United Way and regional literacy partners recently hosted The Readers Rise Summit and convened educators, business leaders, health professionals, caregivers, and community advocates to share insights, align on effective strategies, and strengthen the foundation for children’s early learning success. With this momentum, we’re more poised than ever to build a future where every child enters kindergarten ready to learn and leaves third grade reading proficiently.

Sponsorship

Invest in our community’s future. Become a Read United sponsor. For questions or to secure your sponsorship, contact [email protected] or (912) 651-7700.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Community Impact

See the difference we’re making in our community. Download and share with anyone interested in learning more about our work.

Download Impact Flyer

Donate

Your donation provides life-changing literacy support to local children—helping them reach the language milestones that determine their future success.

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