There are few greater obstacles to escaping the cyclical tyranny of poverty than weak reading skills. Our all-volunteer organization, Under the Roof Reading Begins seeks to empower children by instilling and building the love of reading in each child through providing age-appropriate, quality fiction and non-fiction books for children to own, enjoy, re-read and share.

Economically emerging families, like Pierce County Habitat for Humanity homeowners, are the recipients of our first Under the Roof Reading Begins home libraries. Owning a home is as much a part of the American dream as providing an education for children. For families struggling to rise above poverty and substandard housing, putting a roof over their heads and food on the table takes priority over books and educational materials. Under the Roof Reading Begins is working to transform the cycle of poverty into a compass arrow pointing toward empowerment. Literacy is vital for life and citizenship. Literacy is critical for the future of our world.