Literacy Now is dedicated to transforming communities by empowering children and families through literacy, leadership, and life skills.
Chapelwood Foundation Impact
The Foundation funded Literacy Now $2,500 which was used to provide critical reading intervention programming for Tier II and Tier III K-2nd graders at Mark White Elementary who are one to two years behind in their reading levels.
Literacy Now's Story
Literacy Now (formerly Making It Better Houston) provides reading readiness and reading intervention programs, interactive parent engagement, and trained volunteer mentors for elementary students in Houston. The organization supports children and their families by working in HISD and Aldine ISD schools and on community sites throughout Houston to bring these critical services directly to those in need. Its primary goal is to empower students to read on grade level by the end of 3rd grade, making it much more likely they will remain on track to graduate from high school and be ready to pursue their postsecondary goals.
Since 2006, Literacy Now’s programs have significantly impacted the community by impacting the lives of more than 22,000 children and parents. It has recently implemented an ambitious five-year expansion plan to reach more students at the campuses it already serves and at additional high-need schools. These plans are even more urgent because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused many students to miss months or, in many cases over a year of school, leaving them even further behind.
Literacy Now’s flagship program, Reading Intervention, provides individualized, small-group (4:1 ratio) instruction to help struggling readers become proficient readers by the end of 3rd grade. Highly skilled and experienced interventionists work on school campuses and in direct partnership with teachers to deliver the 25-week SIPPS Curriculum. Through its Lunch Bunch Program, pairs of trained volunteers use literature to mentor groups of 4 students to help promote positive decision making and healthy relationships while also building the students’ literacy skills.
Throughout the years, many Chapelwood members have donated their time and money to support Literacy Now, and the Chapelwood Foundation is honored to provide financial support to this organization that improves the lives of so many Houston area students.
