Think Together and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation Give the Gift of Literacy with LA Reads Storytimes Featuring Los Angeles Dodgers Alumni Dennis Powell
Nearly 400 students across Rialto Unified and Colton Joint Unified school districts enrolled in Think Together participated in LA Reads, an initiative to promote a lifelong love of reading.
Los Angeles, Calif. (December 6, 2024) – Today marked the culmination of Think Together’s collaboration with the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) to support LA Reads, their literacy program with engaging and educational resources that make reading fun for everyone.
In partnership with Rialto Unified and Colton Joint Unified School Districts, more than 400 students enrolled in Think Together afterschool programs were treated to a reading from Dodgers Alumni Dennis Powell of Anne Higginbottom’s book Bigger Than Me. Students were also greeted by volunteers from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians as they were gifted Los Angeles Dodgers hats, shirts, and their own copies of the book.
“We are so incredibly proud to partner with a team that not only serves as positive role models for our youth but leads by example through the work they’re doing to support our communities and programs like Think Together that truly have the potential to change the odds for kids,” said Lawrence Gustafson, Senior Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations.
Think Together serves roughly 31,000 students with afterschool and expanded learning programs in San Bernardino County, including students across schools in Rialto and Colton. Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and San Manuel Band of Mission Indians have both supported students in Rialto and Colton with reading and literacy programs as well as STEM and coding programs through the collaborative Coding for All initiative.
Since 2015, Think Together and LADF have partnered to increase access to literacy programs, STEM initiatives, and social-emotional learning opportunities. Most recently, LADF awarded Think Together a $20,000 grant to provide specialized training for middle school program leaders, further advancing students’ academic and personal development.
Today’s event also marked the conclusion of the 2024 LA Reads season, an impactful program now in its ninth year. LADF’s continued commitment to empowering youth through literacy and education is part of a broader initiative that has invested over $30 million in community programs and grants, including $21 million in the last five years alone.
To learn more about Think Together, visit www.thinktogether.org.
To learn more about the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, visit: www.Dodgers.com/LADF.
About Think Together
Think Together partners with schools and communities to pursue educational equity and excellence for all kids. As a nonprofit organization, Think Together innovates, implements, and scales academic solutions that change the odds for hundreds of thousands of California students. Think Together’s program areas include early learning, afterschool, school support services and leadership development for teachers and school administrators. For more information, call (888) 485-THINK or visit www.thinktogether.org
