For Immediate Release:
December 5, 2023 - Princeton, NJ – Learning Ally, a national nonprofit working with U.S. schools and families to improve reading proficiency for the nation’s most vulnerable students, is appealing for donor support in its mission to provide literacy for all learners.
The organization is celebrating 75 years in service to students in PreK-12th grades and college-age who struggle to read and require accessible educational books to keep academic pace with peers, including students with dyslexia and vision impairments.
Today, Learning Ally serves over 2.3 million students in 23,000 schools, and works with 615,000 U.S. educators. The nonprofit is solely supported by literacy-minded foundations, corporations and individuals who donate both time and dollars to students with learning differences to receive equitable access to educational audiobooks.
In the United States, an estimated 65% of all 4th graders read below proficiency. Factor in students who are Black and Hispanic, and this percentage jumps to 77%, and with detrimental consequences. These students are 400% more likely to drop out of high school and will struggle to find employment, get health insurance or keep a roof over their heads.
“Equitable access to grade-level audiobooks enables more struggling students to become independent, proficient readers and learners, regardless of their economic status or learning difference,” said Andrew Friedman, CEO of Learning Ally.
Every dollar donated to Learning Ally’s philanthropic mission is matched up to $25,000. Donations improve the organization’s ability to provide eligible students with access to a digital library offering more than 80,000 audiobooks aligned to school curriculum, and to popular titles their friends are reading.
The organization also offers an annual National Achievement Awards scholarship program which benefits both educators and students who are making outstanding contributions to literacy improvement.
In addition to the Audiobook Library, Learning Ally publishes an early literacy Excite Reading™ program, and a suite of professional learning courseware to ensure educators are up-to-date in their knowledge and application of the science of reading.
New volunteers are also welcomed as every Learning Ally audiobook is uniquely narrated by authentic voices to engage and enhance a child’s reading experience of any text, literature, or subject area.
To join Learning Ally’s “Literacy For All” movement and to donate, visit www.learningally.org or call 1-800-221-1098 for information.
About Learning Ally
Learning Ally is a leading education nonprofit dedicated to empowering educators with proven solutions that help new and struggling learners reach their potential. Our range of literacy-focused offerings for students in Pre-K to 12th grade and catalog of professional learning allows us to support more than 2.3 million students and 615,000 educators across the United States.