Now in kindergarten, David is scoring above performance level in fluency and comprehension and his parents credit this United Way partner for his early-learning success.

David and his parents were referred to Book Harvest – a Durham-based nonprofit organization funded by United Way of the Greater Triangle – shortly after he was born. They were immediately introduced to the organization’s Book Babies program and promised a full menu of services that would allow David to grow up getting the information and tools he needed to ensure his future success in school.

They took advantage of everything and dove right in with Book Harvest’s groundbreaking, evidence-informed home visiting program which provides 20 new, age-appropriate books to participating children and parents every year from birth until the start of kindergarten.

It didn’t take long for David’s parents to see the value in fighting for his education and thanks to additional support from Book Harvest, participated in informational sessions about pre-kindergarten, attended open houses, and eventually completed a complicated application process that ensured David entry to pre-kindergarten at Eastway Elementary School.

David is now 6 years old and has since graduated from the Book Babies program but he and his parents are still seeing the benefits of Book Harvest’s early literacy intervention. They’re proud to report that in recent kindergarten testing, David scored above performance level in fluency and comprehension.

When you donate to United Way of the Greater Triangle, you’re supporting nonprofit organizations like Book Harvest in their efforts to support appropriate early literacy development, increase the number of students reading proficiently by the end of third grade, and ultimately ensure long-term success for all students. To learn more, visit www.unitedwaytriangle.org.