25 Years of Impact
Make Way for Books has been a nonprofit force for good in Arizona for 25 years.
We empower parents, caregivers and educators in under-served communities with the tools they need to nurture each child’s development, learning and love of reading. Because helping children build strong language and literacy skills in their early years, from birth to age 5, is a powerful, proven way to transform their futures.
Here are some highlights of the first 25 years of our story.
And we’re just getting started.
Empowering Families and Educators
Access to Books
Having a selection of age-appropriate books at home is a powerful way to support language and literacy development, but children from economically-disadvantaged families often lack access to books in their early childhood years.
750,000
books distributed to young children, families and early learning programs
Family Literacy Programs
Our bilingual, two-generation approach builds the language and literacy skills of children and families and breaks down barriers to access by meeting families where they are.
30,000
children and families in Arizona served every year
Professional Development for Teachers
Make Way for Books provides professional development workshops, one-on-one onsite mentoring, and leads a community of practice to support early childhood educators in preschools, childcare centers and home-based care providers across Arizona.
500+
early childhood educators supported with ongoing coaching on effective literacy support for young children every year
Innovating for Impact
Make Way for Books App
The Make Way for Books App provides families with bilingual activities and downloadable children’s books to read with their infants, toddlers and preschoolers. All educational content is grounded in comprehensive research and based on the Head Start Outcomes Framework.
Evaluation Studies
Make Way for Books programs are based on evidence-based models, implemented with fidelity, and proven effective by rigorous, independent evaluation studies.
75%
of young children who participated in our early childhood programs went on to meet or exceed K-3 literacy benchmarks, well above national norms for economically-disadvantaged children
Library of Congress American Prize
Make Way for Books was awarded the 2022 American Prize by the Library of Congress for making a significant and measurable contribution to increasing literacy levels in the United States. Make Way for Books was recognized as “well-established, highly regarded and growing.”
Serving Arizona Communities
Roots in Pima County
Twenty five years ago, Mary Jan Bancroft founded Make Way for Books and, with the support of six volunteers, began providing books and literacy workshops at five under-resourced preschools in Tucson. In the decades since, Make Way for Books has grown to be a recognized and trusted community partner for families and educators throughout southern Arizona.
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Expanding Our Reach
In response to growing demand for evidence-based early literacy programs, Make Way for Books has expanded to serve even more families in more Arizona communities, including Chandler, Avondale, and our professional development program has grown to serve educators from Yuma to Phoenix and beyond.
9
Arizona counties currently being served by Make Way for Books
Partnerships and People
​Our growth has been fueled by the strong partnerships we have developed with many state agencies, philanthropic organizations and individual donors who trust that Make Way for Books delivers effective literacy programs that produce real results for young children in Arizona. And by the passion and hard work of our incredible staff over the past 25 years.
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