Betsy's Reading Goal:  4,500 Pages

Follow me as I read my way to 4,500 pages in March! Last year, I hit 3950 so this is a bit more ambitious but I've been reading more already this year than last. I will post updates on my instagram @books_with_betsy and share updates each week on my podcast, Books with Betsy!

Open Books is an incredible literacy organization in Chicago that supports a whole range of community-based events, including a Reading Buddies program at my school, where volunteers come in and read with students once a week! My fundraising goal is $450 so that would be just 10 cents per page if you are ready to sponsor me. You can sponsor based on how much you plan to read in March, how long your favorite book is, or how much you think I will come up short (ha!). Support this excellent cause by sponsoring my Read-a-Thon!

Open Books' Associate Board is hosting a month-long Read-a-Thon throughout March 2025, in honor of National Reading Month, to raise funds and awareness for Open Books' signature reading and book access programs. Considering Open Books' mission to support literacy skill development and encourage everyone to enjoy reading, this is a fantastic opportunity to get involved and show why you love to read! Please consider supporting one of our readers or joining in the fun yourself - you can sign up here or contact development@open-books.org to learn more and get started. 

This year, the Read-a-Thon team is working hard to raise $45,000 for Open Books' literacy and book access programs. Consider what your donations can support:

$25 can provide books and supplies for one 1st or 2nd grader in our year-long Reading Buddies program
$50 can support a month of upkeep of our Little Free Library network in Lawndale
$100 can provide 30 new, high-interest book titles for our youth book granting efforts
$250 can fund supplies for one of our eight-week-long Early Childhood Literacy Residencies in at-home daycares
$500 can support the development of resources for parents and caregivers in our target communities

Open Books' Mission

Open Books is a nonprofit literacy organization that helps transform lives through reading, writing, and the unlimited power of books. We partner with communities to ensure that youth and families have equitable access to be lifelong readers. Open Books is committed to working in community with our neighborhood partners toward a collective effort to grow and foster a literacy-strong Chicago. We work to break down systemic barriers to reading and literacy and build strong values of reading. Through neighborhood partnerships, we design and implement literacy initiatives for youth, families, caregivers, and communities on the South and West sides of Chicago by providing high-quality resources, experiences, and book-centered spaces. We employ people power and a variety of pathways for books to fuel our placemaking initiatives so that reading can happen anywhere, anytime. To learn more, please visit www.open-books.org.