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National Read Across America Day (RAAD) was on March 2, and this month, we’re celebrating a love of reading all month long by supporting literacy initiatives at 28 local schools. Reading is a fundamental skill for student success, and United Way of Salt Lake is dedicated to ensuring Utah students are on track to meet literacy benchmarks by third grade and are prepared to go from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.”
Throughout March, schools will work with United Way of Salt Lake and volunteers to help students discover the delight of getting lost in a story. Projects include refreshing school libraries with new, high-interest books, hosting special events to emphasize the importance of literacy, and coordinating volunteer groups to help bring books to life in the classroom. Together, schools, families, and volunteers are helping students get excited about reading and ensuring they have the tools they need to achieve literacy proficiency.
Sincerely,
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Roni Scheidler
Corporate Engagement Manager |
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PROGRAM UPDATE
Ride United Drives Opportunity
For many Utahns, transportation is a barrier to accessing healthcare, food, employment, and other critical services. Ride United, a transportation access initiative, provides on-demand, no-cost rides for low-income Utahns and individuals with disabilities.
Eligible individuals work with trained Service Navigators at United Way’s 211 Utah to identify their transportation needs, determine the purpose of the trip, and connect callers with on-demand Lyft rides. A $35,000 Utah Health Improvement Plan grant from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services will fund an additional 1,963 rides through the Ride United program for those in need along the Wasatch Front and in Northern Utah.
Through increased access to transportation, Ride United helps Utahns in need overcome one of the most persistent roadblocks to receiving help, increasing health access, food security, and social connectedness across Utah. |
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DONOR SPOTLIGHT
Game-Changing Support: NBA Foundation Powers Promise Student Advocates
The NBA Foundation fuels change for students in Salt Lake City, Granite, and Canyons School Districts through a one-year $250,000 grant supporting Promise Student Advocates, a mentorship initiative to help high school students graduate on a college or career path. With the NBA Foundation’s support, Promise Student Advocates connected with more than 500 students and helped them set goals and create a plan to finish high school and pursue post-secondary education or employment.
On February 26, United Way of Salt Lake partnered with the Utah Jazz for a game-day highlight. United Way of Salt Lake President & CEO Bill Crim shared that, “The NBA Foundation grants are helping … create opportunities for young people [to] live their best lives and reach their potential. The Jazz are amazing champions of this work.”
The NBA Foundation’s investment and partnership activation elevated youth success work in front of thousands of fans and reinforced a shared commitment to this work by the Utah Jazz, the NBA Foundation, and local nonprofits. |
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VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
Kearns High Students Inspire Young Readers
Volunteerism is at the heart of Read Across America season. In partnership with Kearns High School, United Way of Salt Lake is proud to support a fourth year of student-led literacy projects for seven elementary schools that feed into the high school.
Kearns High’s Latinos in Action program empowers youth to lead and strengthen their communities. Each class period adopts a school — planning interactive reading activities, selecting books, and organizing snacks for every grade level. This month, students sorted more than 3,000 books for distribution, ensuring hundreds of children have access to books at school and at home.
As Read Across America continues throughout the month, we are grateful for the many partners and volunteers stepping into classrooms, sharing stories, and helping bring literacy projects to life. Together, they are doing more than distributing books; they are helping create joyful, connected school communities where every child feels seen, supported, and inspired to read. |
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ADVOCACY UPDATE
2026 Legislative Session Recap
The 2026 Legislative Session ended at midnight on Friday, March 6, and legislators worked down to the last minute to pass a total of 541 bills.
Our top priority bill, SB 165 Economic Mobility Initiative, PASSED in a 62-3 vote in the last hour of the session. After the Executive Appropriations Committee did not provide dedicated funding for the bill, we pivoted strategically to introduce a substitution that still allows us to establish the cross-sector collaboration framework without funding for a grant program. This legislative victory will help us lay the foundation for cross-sector partnerships that will improve educational and economic mobility outcomes for kids and families. Several other bills that we supported also passed, including legislation to improve early literacy and a modest increase to the Child Tax Credit. Keep an eye out for our full blog recapping the legislative session coming soon.
THANK YOU to everyone who supported our legislative efforts throughout the session. Whether you read our weekly Policy Matters newsletters, responded to action alerts, or attended one of our Days on the Hill, your engagement and advocacy was instrumental in passing policies that benefit Utah kids and families. |
Upcoming Events & Volunteer Opportunities
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Power of Your Purse Gala
May 8, 2026 | Asher Adams Hotel
Join us for an unforgettable evening at our annual gala hosted by Women United. Tickets are on sale tomorrow! |
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