What We Do
Every Summer Has A Story
For many, summer is a time of relaxation; but for children living in poverty, summer months present a threat. Children from low-income households lose reading skills during summer break because they lack access to books in their homes. Up With Books, Inc. promotes reading and literacy by providing books for underprivileged children.
Up With Books serves children who are most at-risk for summer learning setback. We created a summer reading program, Every Summer Has a Story, to provide a bag full of books to children in need. Up With Books strives to empower low-income children to close the reading achievement gap, which provides them with the opportunity to overcome the vicious cycle of poverty.
Students who lose reading ability over the summer rarely catch up. Over time, the summer learning slide can add up to the equivalent of three years of reading loss by the end of fifth grade. A lack of academic achievement is a key reason students drop out of high school.
Those who do not have a high school diploma will earn less than those who do, and significantly less than those with a college degree. In addition, 78% of juvenile crime is committed by high school dropouts. Two-thirds of prison inmates do not have a high school diploma.
Children from low-income households suffer from lower school achievement than their middle-class peers. One of the largest contributors to this disparity is the lack of continued learning during the summer. Studies have shown that providing children with books for summer reading allows them to gain, rather than lose, reading skills over the summer.
Up With Books believes that every summer has a story. For children living in poverty, that story can be one of lost opportunity. We invite you to join us in helping children write a different story for themselves. Together, we can help children experience a summer of growth and overcome barriers to learning.
In The News
Up With Books Providing Books to Children in Need
Groton Herald ~ June 27, 2019
Up With Books is delivering 1,000 book bags to children of low-income families to keep them reading through the summer. The Every Summer Has a Story reading program was created to give books to children most at risk for learning setback to have in their homes. This program provides children with a drawstring backpack filled with five-eight books, coloring books, crayons, and other educational materials. Generous donations from the DCU Kids Foundation, Hachette Book Group, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt have enabled Up With Books to give out more than 7,000 books this summer.
Children from low-income families lose valuable reading skills during the summer due to lack of access to books. Providing children with books allows them to gain, rather than lose, reading skills. Children who lose reading ability over the summer rarely catch up. “Creating a steady supply of new, age-appropriate books has been shown to dramatically increase interest in reading within months,” said Co-founder Ashley DeFreitas. Twin sister and Co-founder, Paige DeFreitas added, “Our goal is to encourage and inspire a love of reading and establish lifelong learners.” A lack of academic achievement is a key reason 8,000 students drop out of high school every year. Education is one step to break the cycle of poverty many of these children are faced with. When children are given equal opportunities to succeed, the whole community benefits, and a great place to start is having books to read at home.
To generate awareness, Up With Books hosts fundraisers throughout the year, including an upcoming fundraiser with the Lowell Spinners on July 20. To join in the battle against illiteracy, or to learn more about this programs, visit upwithbooks.org or call 508-284-7130.
Our Resources
To learn more about the statistics and date behind why we do what we do, please visit these websites:
Literacy Partners
Literacy Partners utilizes research-based programs to better equip parents and caregivers with the resources and materials needed to best prepare their children for school and to boost their reading proficiency. Their research provides information on the importance of reading, parents' involvement and attainment, and other factors that contribute to children's education.