Empowering Elementary & Middle School Students with Real-World Skills for Bright Futures.
Meet Maya.
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Maya, a bright-eyed third grader in Metro Atlanta, used to love story time. But after the pandemic, she found herself struggling to keep up. Words blurred on the page, and her confidence faded with every missed answer. Maya’s teacher noticed she wasn’t alone—across the classroom, more and more students were falling behind.
This isn’t just Maya’s story. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), reading and math scores for 9-year-olds plummeted to historic lows in 2022—the largest reading drop since 1990 and the first-ever math decline for this age group. Even more alarming, reading scores continued to fall in 2024, with only 31% of 3rd graders nationwide reaching proficiency. In Metro Atlanta, over half of third graders are not ready to move on to fourth grade.
But Maya’s story doesn’t have to end here.
The Solution: Community Reading Events—Powered by You
Together Friends Organization is launching three community-wide Reading Events for 3rd–5th graders—at no cost to families. These events will:
📖 Provide personalized reading support and engaging materials
🎉 Offer fun, interactive literacy activities
🤝 Build a supportive community of young readers
🏠 Equip parents with tools to continue learning at home
Your donation ensures that every child, like Maya, can attend these events and get the help they need to thrive. Our GoFundMe Campaign launches February 2nd 2026, which will help us raise funds for these upcoming events.
We are committed to helping students from underserved communities obtain a meaningful educational experience. Families are struggling, schools are underfunded, and K-8 children across America are paying the price. Despite ongoing funding cuts to education and afterschool programming, TFO remains dedicated to these students.
Participants in our afterschool STEAM/e enrichment programs continuously show improved self-esteem and improved problem-solving skills. We see them asking more questions, taking more interest in their academics, and inquiring about potential career paths.
WHAT EXACTLY IS STEAM/e?
EVOLVING FROM THE ORIGINAL FOCUS ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART, AND MATHEMATICS (STEAM), WE ADDED ENTREPRENEURSHIP "/e" TO THE MIX. WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT ONLY TEACHING CHILDREN VALUABLE TECHNICAL SKILLS, BUT ALSO EQUIPPING THEM WITH THE SOFT SKILLS ESSENTIAL FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS.
STUDENT TESTIMONIAL
Kalli, middle school
"I am in the TFO program at Morrow Middle School and President of the STEAM/e club. I have been in the program for 2 years and I love the activities we do. It opens me up to more things I can do in my future. The most exciting thing about this program is that we get to make new friends and come together in one environment. My favorite experience was the trip to the Honda plant. When it comes to mechanical engineering and how to make a car, I feel that will help us more in the future. TFO has also helped me with my class scores and GMAS. It gives me the knowledge I need to do certain problem work and get my grade straight."
STUDENT RECRUITMENT VIDEO
Student Recruitment Video - Ms. JonesVideo from Ms. Jones, former afterschool instructor
UNDERSTANDING OUR WHY
WORKING TO TRANSFORM THE STATISTICS
A report from the Afterschool Alliance found that the number of jobs requiring STEM skills continues to grow, but too many students lack opportunities to learn and develop these skills.
Demand for computing and mathematical jobs keeps growing, but in 2025 there were an estimated 2 million STEM jobs unfilled due to a lack of skilled candidates.
The Afterschool Alliance also reports 65% of parents with children in online or hybrid school don’t believe the STEM offerings their child received during the pandemic meet their standards of quality, engaging activities.
In Georgia, over 70% of our third graders are not proficient in math or reading at their grade level, with this issue being particularly pronounced in underserved communities
A report from the Annie E. Casey foundation indicates that students who are not reading proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of school.
Support Our Mission
Your contribution can make a profound difference. By donating to TFO, you help us continue to provide essential resources and opportunities to students who need them most. Join us in our mission to transform lives and build a brighter future for all. Donate today and be a part of our impactful work.
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