United Through Reading Expands Partnership with Unite Us Nationwide to Help Military Families Stay Connected

SAN DIEGO, CA / AGILITYPR.NEWS / May 18, 2022 / San Diego, California, April 14, 2022 – United Through Reading, a national non-profit serving military families, expanded its partnership with Unite Us, the nation’s leading technology company connecting health and social care services, as a national partner to help military families stay connected while experiencing time apart. Through the secure electronic referral process, Unite Us providers can refer military service members, veterans, and their families to United Through Reading Story Stations and volunteer programs.

United Through Reading originally joined the Unite Us network in 2021, offering their Story Time program in 13 states, and is now available across the nation. This program helps families stay connected through storytime video recordings and books sent to military families to help ease the stress of separation, maintain positive emotional connections, and cultivate a love of reading and early childhood literacy. Service members and veterans can read and record a story for their family at more than 200 United Through Reading locations worldwide, as well as on their mobile devices with the United Through Reading free and secure reading app. More information about Story Time eligibility and participation can be found here. 

“This is a fantastic opportunity for United Through Reading to reach even more service members and veterans throughout the country,” said Dr. Sally Ann Zoll, CEO of United Through Reading. “We are excited to join the Unite Us network and be a part of their ever-growing list of resources.”

United Through Reading was founded in 1989 by the wife of a Naval flight surgeon who deployed, leaving his wife and infant daughter at home. When the surgeon returned home, his little girl didn’t recognize him, and he had to re-enter her life as a stranger. United Through Reading’s founder was a reading specialist and knew firsthand the importance of exposing children to literature from birth. Thus, a powerful concept emerged. Knowing service members can be away from their loved ones for multiple reasons—deployment, drill weekend, annual training, residing in different states from extended family and friends, and more—United Through Reading provides the perfect way to stay connected and help to create and maintain a reading routine. Veterans can use United Through Reading’s free and secure app to increase their bond with the important children in their lives.

Together, United Through Reading and Unite Us securely connect people in need with community-based resources that can be otherwise difficult to navigate. The network provides a central point of contact where healthcare providers and social service organizations can securely access and refer people to needed services while monitoring progress and measuring outcomes.

“Our national partnership with United Through Reading has helped military families stay connected while their loved ones are away serving our country,” said Adrienne Sherk, Unite Us’ Senior Director of Community-Based Organization Partnerships. “This partnership provides service members a touch of home when they can’t physically be there, and we are thrilled this partnership is now nationwide,” added Sherk. 

For organizations seeking to connect their clients to United Through Reading’s services and to other Unite Us partners, get in touch at https://uniteus.com/contact/. 

About United Through Reading

United Through Reading keeps military families reading ready, no matter the distance between them. Families stay connected through storytime video recordings and books sent to military families. These stories ease the stress of time apart due to military duty, maintain positive emotional connections, and cultivate a love of reading and early childhood literacy. Service members and veterans can record a story for their family at more than 200 United Through Reading recording locations worldwide, as well as on their mobile device with the free and secure reading app. Since 1989, 2.7 million military members and their families have benefited from the program. Follow United Through Reading on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

About Unite Us

Unite Us is a technology company that builds coordinated care networks of health and social service providers. With Unite Us, providers across sectors can send and receive secure electronic referrals, track every person’s total health journey, and report on tangible outcomes across a full range of services in a centralized, cohesive, and collaborative ecosystem. Unite Us’ dedicated team builds authentic, lasting partnerships with local organizations to ensure their networks have a solid foundation, launch successfully, and continue to grow and thrive. This HITRUST-certified social care infrastructure helps communities transform their ability to work together and measure impact at scale. Follow Unite Us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.