April 16, 2026
Read with Friends
Our March Literacy Campaign
This past March, we spent four days reading together with program youth as part of our "Read with Friends" literacy campaign. It reminded us of something we already know but always love seeing in action—reading is about so much more than words on a page.
The book we gathered around was Tiny T-Rex and the Impossible Hug. It is a story about a small dinosaur who wants to hug his friend but struggles because of his size. Through persistence and creativity, he finds a way. It is a story about kindness and not giving up on hard things, and the truth at its center is that the best hugs come from the biggest hearts.
After reading together, we facilitated a comprehension activity where youth reflected on the story's message and discussed how they could apply those lessons in their own lives. We also held a Spanish reading session of the same book, making sure every child in the room felt included. For the hands-on piece, youth created their own air clay dinosaurs, building fine motor skills and patience along the way. Each person took their dinosaur home as a keepsake, a small reminder that even small efforts can make a big impact.
One of our favorite moments from the whole campaign was watching Phoenix step up and volunteer to read to her peers. That kind of confidence does not happen overnight, and seeing it come out in that room is exactly why we do this work.
We are so grateful for every mentor, staff member, and volunteer who showed up for our kids over these four days. If you have ever thought about giving your time to, we would love to have you. Sign up to volunteer here.