According to M-STEP (Michigan’s state assessment) standards, 58.8% of third graders in our region are not proficient in English. United Way’s My Home Library initiative is designed to address book deserts and literacy gaps across Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne counties. By providing children with free, high-quality books of their choice, the program fosters a love of reading, builds home libraries and supports academic achievement.

Children from low-income households are six times more likely to drop out of high school if they can’t read proficiently by third grade — and more than 40% of families in our region fall into this category. In Southeastern Michigan, fewer than one in three fourth grade students are reading at grade level. In Detroit, only 5% of fourth grade students are at grade level.

United Way partners with Scholastic, Inc. to provide sponsored My Home Library book fairs at local elementary schools providing more than 20,000 books to 4,000 students.

Every gift, at any amount, helps! A gift of:
• $325 provides 10 children with five books each. 
• $150 provides five children with five books each. 
• $100 provides three children with five books each. 
• $30 provides one child with five books

Give the gift of reading today!