Empowering Elementary & Middle School Students with Real-World Skills for Bright Futures.
Meet Maya.
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 4th 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.
