Millions of volunteers across the country will celebrate the 15th anniversary of Read for the Record on October 29th to raise awareness about the critical importance of early literacy. Volunteers will all read the book, “Evelyn Del Ray is Moving Away” by Meg Medina to elementary school aged children. For this year’s event, United Way of Central Georgia has teamed up with Bibb County Elementary Schools to take the annual event VIRTUAL. Volunteers will still be able to read to entire classrooms of students, but will read on virtual meeting platforms via recording to follow social distancing recommendations.

“We are calling on all parents, grandparents, neighbors, friends, and community members,” said Dr. Shelton Land, United Way of Central Georgia Education Program Manager. “It’s important that our community members recognize that when a child isn’t reading proficiently at certain milestones, there’s a direct connection to continuing test scores and eventually graduation rates. This year, not only are children facing usual literacy challenges we see every year, but those challenges are compounded by the continuing effects of the pandemic. As cliché as it sounds, we truly need the community’s support now more than ever.”

This year, Read for the Record’s volunteers will need about 30 minutes to record themselves reading “Evelyn Del Ray is Moving Away.” The Read United team will coordinate with volunteers to set up these recordings. To sign up for this year’s event, go to https://unitedwaycg.galaxydigital.com/agency/detail/?agency_id=105340.

United Way of Central Georgia is a leading funder of health and human service organizations that have a measurable impact in fourteen Central Georgia counties and impact the lives of one in four local people annually. The annual campaign supports 43 programs along with 29 program partners. United Way initiatives include READ UNITED, MISSION UNITED, PINK PROMISE UNITED, RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities), Familywize, FIRST STEPS, myfreetaxes.com, Volunteer UNITED, The Merrie Christmas Project, Parents as Teachers, the Golden Eagle Awards, and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. United Way of Central Georgia also funds a free, confidential seven-days a week, 24-hours a day information and referral line serving all of Central Georgia. Dial 2-1-1 to find or give help. For more information about what United Way of Central Georgia is doing in the community, visit www.unitedwaycg.org.