Save the Children's 100 Days of Reading Campaign Supports Summer Learning, Kids in Rural America in Wake of COVID 19 Closures

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (June 1, 2020) – Today, Save the Children is launching its second annual summer reading campaign in the United States – Read a Story, Change Their Story. With this spring’s unprecedented, nationwide school closures due to coronavirus concerns, summer 2020 will be the longest of children’s lives. The 100-day campaign aims to curb summer learning loss while providing support and resources for kids growing up in rural America.

100 Days of Reading encourages all children, parents, teachers, librarians, caregivers and adults to log their summer reading minutes at SavetheChildren.org/READ today through September 8, which also marks World Literacy Day. Participants can positively impact the lives of children growing up in rural America who do not have adequate access to early education or children’s books, while also promoting literacy in all communities. Every minute logged helps raise awareness and supports Save the Children’s work to improve literacy and change lives.

All children are at risk of the summer slide, meaning they can lose achievement gains made in the previous school year. A child’s summer learning experiences during their elementary school years can impact their success in higher grades, including whether they graduate from high school and move on to college. According to the National Summer Learning Association, children growing up in poverty are at even greater risk – low-income children typically lose two to three months of reading progress each summer, and the coronavirus crisis is exacerbating the learning loss millions of underserved students and their families face each summer.

“Summer is the most inequitable time of learning for children in America, and that inequity is exponentially compounded as we combat COVID-19,” said Mark Shriver, Senior Vice President of U.S. Programs & Advocacy for Save the Children. “Getting involved is simple – read to or with your child, log your minutes on our website – and keep the learning going. By participating in 100 Days of Reading, you’ll make a tremendous difference for children across America.”

100 Days of Reading is generously presented by T.J. Maxx, Penguin Random House, Brightly, SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Storyline Online^®, Safeguard and the National Summer Learning Association, which offers content and resources to help parents grow lifelong readers, as well as by Hasbro, Zulily, American Girl, Mattel, HarperCollins Children’s Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Kinder, Vooks, Encantos, the Amy Krouse Rosenthal Foundation and media partners iHeartMedia, Discovery, Inc. and Noggin.

To learn more and log your minutes, visit SavetheChildren.org/READ.

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that Save the Children is a charity you can trust. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.