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Mesa Chamber’s Community Action Partnership (CAP) met on Tuesday Sept 10, and the focus was on Literacy month. In Arizona, literacy numbers are concerning.  

  • In our area, 18% of SE Maricopa Co children under 6 live in poverty – that’s 12,327 children!  
  • The majority of these lower income households (61%) also do not have books available for their children to read.  
  • AZ saw a gap from birth – 5yrs for development even before COVID. 
  • 1 in 4 grow up without learning to read 
  • 14% of US adults are considered functionally literate 
  • Only 41% of 3rd graders scored as proficient in language arts in AZ 
  • The effect is widespread. For the economy, illiteracy costs $225B/year in the US. 

However, continued focus on the topic can help change stats, and CAP featured guest speakers who are on the front lines including 

Beth Haas, MA Community Engagement Coordinator, SE Maricopa Region – First Things First. 

FTF focuses on early childhood health & literacy as most learning takes place in the first 5 years of life. Haas explained that reading to children and exposure to vocabulary increases: kindergarten readiness, higher 3rd grade reading scores and higher high school graduation rates. This ultimately leads to a workforce that is better equipped to perform at higher rates as well, which is great news for employers and our economy.  

Created in 2006, FTF funds family resource centers, home visitation programs, parent education, family friend & neighbor care education, reach out and read, oral health education, (the #1 reason for absenteeism), and staffs a 0-5 help line. 

Jessica Payne, Executive Director Kids Need to Read, which provides access to books nationwide, but is based in Mesa. They started in 2007 as a group project providing a handful of books to underfunded schools/libraries, and now provides over 100k books (a $1.2 million value) to unique disadvantaged children. Payne noted that the first generation of kids they’ve served are now also becoming ambassadors to their younger peers about the importance of reading.  

David Scott, Arizona Regional President – Meadows Bank, and co-chair of the Mesa Chamber CAP, also leads an impact team with Valley Leadership (VL) to contribute to Early Literacy and Housing & Healthy Neighborhoods initiatives. Starting in January 2025, VL alums will “substitute” in the classroom while teachers train on the LETRS – science of reading program. The long-term goal is to have other school districts copy this model. 

Want to help? Kids Need to Read is looking for businesses to engage in outreach to encourage connect to literacy programs and sponsor current initiatives. Valley Leadership is seeking other volunteers to train with teachers this fall to cover their classes while they take the day-long LETRs course. Volunteers must pass a background check and have a minimum associate’s degree.  

Summary provided by: Denise Konkol 

Denise Konkol is a Chamber member, assisting clients as a writer, and a financial literacy coach with Ramsey Solutions