Fifteen years ago I began volunteering with SMART Reading because I believed reading could change the trajectory of a child’s life. Even now, as Executive Director, I still read with kids every week—and read daily with my own kids.

A book in a child’s hands is more than pages. It’s confidence. It’s curiosity. It’s a sense of belonging. And for many children who face barriers far beyond the classroom, it’s a step into the world’s stories and onto a more level playing field.

At SMART Reading, we close early literacy gaps by giving children books they can keep, stories to take home and make their own. We’ve now placed more than five million books into the hands of Oregon children. Paired with the one-on-one support of caring volunteers, these moments strengthen community ties and create connections that matter—one story, one child, one hour at a time.

Across Oregon volunteers and students build relationships that reach far beyond school walls. I’m proud to help build the statewide network that makes those moments possible. When a child learns to love reading, the door to everything else opens.