This September, in recognition of National Literacy Month, the Community Foundation for the CSRA is celebrating the progress being made through its Literacy Initiative and calling attention to a challenge that affects far more than the ability to read.

Low literacy impacts education, employment, health, economic opportunity, and the overall strength of a community. Recognizing that no single organization can address those challenges alone, the Community Foundation launched its Literacy Initiative as a place-based, collaborative effort designed to address intergenerational low literacy by bringing together schools, nonprofits, and community partners.

“Literacy is about so much more than learning to read,” said Shell K. Berry, President and CEO of the Community Foundation for the CSRA. “It influences a child’s success in school, a parent’s opportunities in the workforce, and ultimately the strength of our entire community. That is why this work requires all of us. Our role is to bring people and resources together, identify barriers, and invest in solutions that can create meaningful, lasting change.”

The Foundation’s newly released 2025–2026 Literacy Initiative Impact Report demonstrates what can happen when organizations work together around a shared goal.

During the 2025–2026 school year, the Foundation invested more than $250,000 in Literacy Initiative partners, allowing them to engage over 1,200 students, with efforts reaching children from birth through elementary school while also providing critical support to their families.

Among the results:

• Students at Lamar Milledge Elementary School logged over 1,000,000 reading minutes.
• Multiple Literacy Initiative Partners received state/national recognition and awards
• Nearly 100 students received additional learning opportunities through the HUB summer camp.
• Students and families received wraparound services including case management, emergency assistance, vision screenings and prescription lenses.

For Richmond County School System leaders, the partnership has also helped elevate literacy as a broader community issue.

“I really appreciate the partnership with the Community Foundation as we raise awareness about the importance of literacy,” said Dr. Malinda Cobb, Superintendent, Richmond County Schools. “The Literacy Initiative shapes our students’ futures and our community’s future. When we say the situation is dire, that is not an exaggeration. Through this partnership, awareness of the importance of literacy has reached across our city, and I am thankful for the partnership and the success it has brought.”

The initiative has also generated increased collaboration among participating organizations and new community partnerships, demonstrating that progress extends beyond any one program or classroom. The Community Foundation serves not only as a funder, but also as a convener and partner, helping participating organizations work through challenges, share ideas and strengthen their collective approach.

“It’s been really nice to have the Community Foundation as a sounding board,” said Laurie Cook, CEO, Rise Augusta. “Your board is, of course, invested in you and your organization, but sometimes you have ideas that aren’t so great. It’s been helpful to be able to bring those ideas to the Foundation and talk them through.”

The Community Foundation’s approach is intentionally place-based and multi-generational. For the 20206-2027 school year, the initiative concentrates resources and partnerships around families zoned for Lamar-Milledge, W.S. Hornsby and newly added T. Harry Garrett Elementary schools, allowing organizations to work collectively rather than independently to address barriers that contribute to low literacy.

“I think the commitment to mutual respect and the shared goal of improving educational outcomes for this neighborhood has been incredible,” Berry said. “I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve been doing alongside the school system and our nonprofit partners. It’s something I take a great deal of pride in and something I wish we could replicate at every elementary school facing similar challenges.”

During National Literacy Month, the Community Foundation encourages businesses, donors, nonprofit organizations and community members to learn more about the challenges surrounding literacy and the collaborative work underway in the CSRA.

Read the 2025–2026 Literacy Initiative Impact Report and learn more about the initiative:
Community Foundation Literacy Initiative

Community members who want to help strengthen and expand this work can also make a charitable contribution directly to the Literacy Initiative.

Support the Literacy Initiative:
Give to the Literacy Initiative

For additional information, please contact:

Becky Dearden
Marketing Director
Community Foundation for the CSRA

803-317-0442
[email protected]