Season features more than 40 games with NCAA programs in 21 states, with potential to add partners through the end of the year
MEMPHIS, Tenn., Jan. 4, 2021 – This year, more than 40 NCAA basketball programs in 23 states will partner with Coaching for Literacy to host #Fight4Literacy games presented by International Paper. The games, through which Coaching for Literacy partners with sports organizations, raise funds to provide grants to local literacy partners to support grade-level reading for students in kindergarten through third grade. As presenting partner, International Paper provides funding of up to $10,000 in select markets, with a $5,000 match for funds raised by each team’s fans.
“Sports is such a powerful force, especially among college teams,” said Carleen O’Reilly, executive director of Coaching for Literacy. “Our athletic partners have a unique platform, and it’s heartening to see how many of them join us year after year in the #Fight4Literacy. It’s a cause that will have huge long-term benefits for students and our nation, as we know the impact illiteracy has on people – from poverty to unemployment to a likelihood to be in jail.”
The #Fight4Literacy partners for 2021-2022 are as follows, listed alphabetically. You can view the entire #Fight4Literacy schedule on Coaching for Literacy’s website.
At each #Fight4Literacy game, fans are invited to make a donation in honor of their team. Many teams also support awareness of the issue by wearing and using green items – lapel pins or ties for coaches, or wristbands, among other things. Funds raised through #Fight4Literacy games are granted to local literacy partners in each state, who use funds to support literacy for students in kindergarten through third grade. In prior years, grants have funded tutoring programs, summer learning camps, and the purchase of age-appropriate reading materials for classrooms and students in need. In the last year alone, Coaching for Literacy granted more than $365,000 to 30 organizations in 29 markets impacting more than 16,000 students.
For more information on confirmed game dates, athletic partners, local literacy partners and more, visit https://www.coachingforliteracy.org/fight-for-literacy-games.
About Coaching for Literacy
Formed in 2013 by two high school students, Coaching for Literacy aims to raise awareness of and support solutions to the widespread problem of illiteracy. Using the power and influence of sports, the organization partners with teams across the country to host #Fight4Literacy games, which raise funds for grants to literacy-focused programs in their communities. Coaching for Literacy operates on the core belief that literacy is a fundamental right of every individual. For more information, visit CoachingForLiteracy.org.
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For more information, contact:
Taylor Jolley
Obsidian Public Relations
(772) 485-5410
