On June 6, 2013, Reach will participate in #DoMore24, a one-day fundraising event powered by the United Way of the National Capital Area. In 24 hours, Reach will compete with other area nonprofits for prizes related to dollars raised and donors engaged.
On July 1, Reach launches a new fiscal year. With a growing staff and the addition of a third program site, this will be our most aggressive fundraising year to date. We recently approved a budget of $458,400. Today, we begin our journey toward that number.
We do realize that, for #DoMore24, every area nonprofit will be asking you for money on the same day. So, why Reach? This seems like an appropriate time for a top ten list. So, here it goes…
10. This week, Reach learned that we will be included in the 2013 – 2014 Catalogue for Philanthropy, a listing of the best small organizations in the DC Metro Area.
9. When asked about her proudest moment from this year, Marchelle (a 9th grade tutor) said, “I’m not embarrassed to read out loud anymore.”
8. In three years, we have distributed more than 500 books to our tutors and students to read during school holidays. This keeps our kids reading and maintains the gains experienced during our school year program.
7. Joyce, a third-year tutor at Perry Street Prep, was one of only
25 high school juniors from across the city to be selected for Urban Alliance’s highly competitive internship program at the World Bank.
6. Reach has been chosen as an Echoing Green fellow, a Social Innovation Rockstar, and is (currently) a finalist for the Claneil Foundation’s Emerging Leaders Award.
5. Our elementary school students are on pace to see 1.5 years of reading growth per year of participation – growth equal to that produced by highly effective teachers!
4. Rashaan says, “The people at Reach…I can talk to them about anything. We’re like one big family.”
3. Our tutors are on pace to experience almost three grade levels of reading improvement per year of program participation. Teaching creates the most powerful learning.
2. On Saturday mornings, Leonard, a 3rd grade student, sometimes asks, “Is it a Reach day?” His grandmother reports that she has to tell him, “Boy, it’s not even a school day!”
1. 85% of DC public school students get to high school reading below grade level. The problems start in elementary school. You may see two challenges. We see one solution.
We recognize you have many choices. On June 6th, we hope you’ll support Reach’s effort to produce confident grade-level readers and capable leaders in the District of Columbia. With your help, we can unleash the potential of our city’s teens to address youth literacy, one of DC’s most pressing social challenges.
Thanks, as always, for your support.
Mark









Recently, our tutors were discussing what they would change about their schools, if given the power. School uniforms were a common theme. In this book, a young boy grows sad when his grandmother is unable to afford the popular shoes all the other kids are wearing. Tutors will be able to gain a new perspective on the school uniform debate, and students will be challenged by comprehension questions created by their adolescent tutors.
In the next few weeks, we will challenge our students to compare and contrast similar stories using a venn diagram. We’ll start by exploring The Little Engine That Could, a well-known and popular story. The repeating language will allow struggling readers to experience increasing confidence as they read the text.
As we move toward the end of the year, we’re already thinking about how to put great new stories in the hands of next year’s participants. We’re excited about using this story to make writing a bigger part of next year’s programming. In Same, Same But Different, two young boys – one from American and one from India – become penpals. The boys learn about other cultures through the exchange of letters.
#DoMore(48): The Results
Thank you to everyone who generously contributed to our fundraising effort on Thursday (and Friday). During the 48-hour giving period, we received support from 126 donors and raised a total of $15,697. Through the incredible support of the Patricia Kind Family Foundation and the Arronson Foundation, your generosity will be supplemented by $20,000 in matching and challenge grants. As we prepare to expand to a third program site and launch a new summer program, every dollar is important.
Below is a list of the amazing donors that contributed to our successful two-day campaign! We are so very grateful for your support.
** As many of you know, there were a number of technical issues during the event. If you feel like you should be on the list below, but do not see your name, please email info@reachincorporated.org **
Samantha Acunto
Gary & Robin Adler
Jamie Adler
Leonard Adler
Priscilla Adler
Matt & Natalie Alpert
Mike Ambrose
Anonymous (6)
MaryBeth Apriceno
Joseph Bates
Claire Blumenson
Erin & Andrew Brent
Dynesha Brooks
Charlie & Marie Brown
Roann & Tom Brown
Bevin Butler
Leigh Ann Caldwell
Rosie Canizares
Jennie Carey
Randi & George Carr
Kathy Chamberlain
Lisa Christy
Sarah Comeau
Chantelle Cunningham
Raj Darolia & Laura Herring Darolia
Ariann Dershaw Bernstein
Alma Edgerly
Sadie Ellner
Steve Elmendorf
Revi-ruth Enriquez
Matt Essman
Jane & Wally Evans
Eddie Ferrer
Debbie & Joe Fletcher
Josh Friedman
Alejandro Gace-Artigas
Jacqueline Gjurgevich
John Grant
Randi Greenberg & Justin Kieffer
Amy Gusek
Ann Marie Habershaw
Laura Hayman
Diane & Mike Hazel
Donna Hecker
Mark Hecker
Brian Hecker & Alison Pettine
Scott & Beth Hecker
Bob & Genette Henderson
Mike & Beth Herring
Annie Hoffman
Adam & Rachel Hollowell
Lanae & Mike Holmes
Julie Holt
Patricia Hoppey
Meredith Hurt
Taylor Jacobs
Arash Jahanian
Jess & Paul Jameson
Jen & Chris Raszkiewicz
Steve Johnson & Cheryl Bowden
Deva Jones
Meissa Jones
Adrienne Jubb
Julia Judson-Rea
Scott Kelrick
Hilary Kline
Allison Labovitz
Catrina Leak
Paul Leder
Doris & Charles Leeper
Catherine Lewis
Loree Lipstein
Felix Brandon Lloyd and Jordan Lloyd Bookey
Sean & Leslie Loughlin
Anh & David LyJordan
Judy Madden
Lisa & Jon Marcus
Jennifer Marron
Pam Mirsky
Marianne Montalvo
Lynn Montalvo
Lindsey & Chris Moore
Crystal Moore
Jake Moore
Emily Murgia
George & Cathy Murphy
Cheryl Nagelberg
Julie O’Sullivan
Daniel Okonkwo
Beth Orbison
Brian Ovalle
Jusna Perrin
Bethany Robertson
Jack Rogers
Kristi & Peter Ryan
Dianne & Lior Samuelson
Susan Sawyer
Darrell Scott
Francine Serafin
Kaity Shaw
Maureen Smith
Emily Smith
Michael Smith
Connie Souder
Elizabeth Spayd
Dave Sperandio
Dita Verheij
Dawn Vermilya
Eric Waldstein
Meghan Walters
Jen & Michael Werner
Caitlin Wilkinson
Ginny & Geoff Warren
Ashley Wolfington
Greg Wyant
Mike & Missy Young
Eric Young & Linda Fink
Ed Zubrow