Posted on January 27, 2026

Community Forum | United Way’s ready.set.READ! Initiative – Addressing Literacy in Berks

Community Forum | United Way’s ready.set.READ! Initiative – Addressing Literacy in Berks

United Way of Berks County’s Ready.Set.READ! initiative focuses on kindergarten readiness and reading proficiency by the end of third grade.

As part of its Ready.Set.READ! efforts, United Way partners with Reading School District to deliver a phonetics-based curriculum called Read Alliance in nine elementary schools. The dual impact program, based on a New York Read Alliance model, recruits and trains high school students to serve as tutors for first graders. Teens gain valuable leadership and work skills thought this paid work experience; elementary students gain measurable reading progress.

With the success in Reading School District, United Way is now expanding the READ program, creating a greater impact for area teens and young students.

On Thursday, August 21, 2025, Berks County Community Foundation’s Senior Fellow, Dave Myers, hosted United Way representatives and volunteers to talk about the importance of their literacy initiative.

Opinions expressed in this community forum do not necessarily represent those of the Community Foundation.

From the program: Berks County Community Forums

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