Fort Morgan, Colorado

Fort Morgan Growing Readers demonstrates the power of collective impact to address equity and inclusion in small rural settings. The community has come together to make Fort Morgan the first place in the U.S. where every young child entering kindergarten is offered a home library of 100 age-appropriate books and their families are supported to develop a daily routine of shared reading.

Beginning in 2018, every Fort Morgan family with a 4-year-old preparing to enter Kindergarten was offered a 100-book home library of culturally relevant books for beginning readers. Registered households were sent 25 weekly shipments of four books and a family tip card with ideas about how to establish a routine of daily reading. Families also received weekly text or email messages about shared book reading.

Additionally, families were encouraged to use Unite for Literacy’s digital library of more than 600 books, narrated in 50+ languages, for reading with their children, and to share their reading experiences with their friends and extended family.

Of families who completed a post survey of the program, 54% said they read with their child more than before Growing Readers and attribute their changed routine of reading to receiving Growing Readers books. This reported behavior change combined with all participating families receiving 100 books is transforming the Fort Morgan community from a book desert into a book garden.