(Washington, DC, Friday, December 17, 2021) – The American Federation of Teachers, representing K-12 educators and school staff around the country, is announcing a new program to help America’s students rediscover the joy of reading, with a focus on providing books and reading resources to communities across the country.

As kids continue to bounce back from three school years affected by the pandemic, our country’s educators are eager to support their learning, growth and development with an innovative and comprehensive effort designed to foster curiosity and enhance literacy skills nationwide.

Reading opens possibilities for all children to thrive — to learn and grow, to explore and imagine, to investigate and verify, and to lead fulfilling lives.

The campaign, called “Reading Opens the World”, will aim to give away over one million books and reading resources (lesson plans, toolkits and more) to communities across the country. Local communities will be partnering with the American Federation of Teachers in order to participate in this campaign between now and the end of December.

Teachers and school staff are focused on partnering with parents, caregivers and administrators to engage kids in reading, with special attention to young people who have experienced academic, economic and social inequity.

Educators and parents must be partners in students’ literacy for them to succeed, so an essential part of this program is to build on and forge new connections among families, schools and communities.

The American Federation of Teachers is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, healthcare and public services for students, their families and communities.  The AFT represents 1.7 million members, including pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government employees; and nurses and other healthcare professionals.