2023 - Second Quarter Impact Report

SOAR’s Achievements

from March - July 2023

Our students have read a combined total of 411,220 minutes this year

We’ve secured $169,939 in funding

This year, we’ve acquired seven new individual donors

As of this year, we have six new donating foundations

We have eleven after-school and community programs

We’ve served 216 kids in Hillsborough county this quarter, with 283 kids total for the year

We’ve worked with multiple cohorts across 12 different schools

We’ve served 119 kids in Pinellas county this quarter, with 416 kids total for the year

The FLiP program boasts 8 new songs for kids at 1st-5th grade reading levels

This year, we’ve established 23 cohorts

335 kids have been served by our FLiP program this quarter

We threw 21 “unlocking” celebrations this year

*Year to date measurement

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Gonzmart Celebration

On July 22, 2023, Sing Out and Read had the amazing opportunity to co-host a one-of-a-kind celebration with one of our newest donors, Richard Gonzmart, fourth generation co-owner of the Columbia Restaurant. 

When Mr. Gonzmart heard about our FLiP program, he was inspired by our mission to end illiteracy in the Tampa Bay area, and he immediately sought to sponsor his very own cohort. When the 12-week program ended, our 18 young readers were invited to celebrate all their successes at a private event at the famous Columbia Restaurant. Families were able celebrate in one of the many beautiful dining rooms offered by the historic restaurant, enjoy delicious Spanish-Cuban cuisine, and of course receive their hard-earned Amazon Fire Tablet!

Joanna G., a foster mother to 3 children on the program, was struggling to find a solution to help her kids raise their reading levels.

“I did some research, trying to find tutors and programs to help with their reading, and then I came across Sing Out and Read. I signed up right away, got into the office right away to get the tablets, brought them home and the kids were so excited because…its tablets! They really enjoyed that style of learning.”

Joanna set a schedule to have the kids work on the program 30 minutes a day, but they enjoyed using the devices so much that she barely had to remind them.

“They really enjoyed it. I could hear them singing all the time. I could hear Kameron sounding out the words, spelling them out, and just watched him make so much progress. All their reading scores have gone up! They are picking out books on their level because they enjoy reading because they understand what they are reading now!”

When we asked Kameron G., a 3rd grader struggling to read at his level, how he enjoyed the program he told us, “Reading feels pretty easy now. It helped me get better grades and I’m going to be able to use it on word problems too! I’m going to be able to read a math or science question and know what it says!”

 Word about the Gonzmart cohort spread so quickly among the residents in the area that we were able to form an additional 3 cohorts in the Hillsborough community! Sing Out and Read wants to give a huge Thank You to Richard Gonzmart for believing in our mission, helping us take real action in improving these young readers lives, and inspiring so many more in the community to join us!