Make Way for Books has been selected as a new grantee of the WRITING CHANGE initiative, a collaboration between The Estée Lauder Companies and National Youth Poet Laureate and activist Amanda Gorman, that invests in grassroots organizations working to advance literacy as a pathway to equality, access, and social change. Make Way for Books is now one of only 10 recipients of this prestigious national award and the only WRITING CHANGE grantee operating in the Southwest.
Make Way for Books is an early literacy nonprofit that serves 30,000 children, parents, and educators in Arizona every year. WRITING CHANGE recognized Make Way for Books for its innovative, two-generation early childhood literacy program, Story School, that provides language-rich learning experiences to young children and families in underserved communities. This evidence-based, bilingual program empowers parents and caregivers to be their children’s first and most essential teachers.
By supporting language and literacy development in early childhood, from birth to age five, Make Way for Books helps young children build the foundational skills they need for success in kindergarten and beyond. Research shows that early language skills and vocabulary are directly related to reading proficiency and long-term academic success.
This investment from WRITING CHANGE will enable Make Way for Books to reach more children and families across Arizona.
“We are incredibly honored to receive this recognition and funding from WRITING CHANGE,” said Yissel Salafsky, CEO of Make Way for Books. “This partnership empowers us to deepen our impact in advancing equity through literacy. We look forward to collaborating with our fellow grantees and working together to create meaningful social change through the power of
literacy.”
Launched in 2021, WRITING CHANGE has supported programs in the United States that enable access to literacy and education resources, advocate for representation in literature, and encourage artistic expression.
With this latest round of funding, WRITING CHANGE has met its initial goal of awarding $3 million in grants over three years. “I’m so proud of the work of our incredible WRITING CHANGE partners who have used this funding to extend the reach and resources of their impact to heights I never imagined were possible,” said Gorman. “Our work through WRITING CHANGE is creating new paths of access for the next generation of thinkers, leaders, and changemakers.”
Other new grantees include the 52nd Street Project (New York, NY), Art Start (Milwaukee, WI and New York, NY), The Latinx KidLit Book Festival (Bronx, NY), and Wide Angle Youth Media (Baltimore, MD).