Happy New Year from Heifer International! As we enter a new year, it’s essential to consider exciting new beginnings and inspiring goals for young readers. Developing literacy skills and interest in lifelong reading is one of the most important tasks children can learn. This year, let reading be a part of a student’s growth with Heifer International — sparking discoveries, imagination and curiosity with every book they read.

Today, stories are everywhere — on screens, podcasts, magazines, conversations and books. The information age gives us access to stories all over the globe, making young readers more connected with the world than ever before. Now is the time to motivate them to set new reading goals: to explore new genres and topics they’ve never heard about, to start a book club with close friends, or to involve their family in a new tradition of reading.

For 2025, encourage young readers to grow and learn throughout their reading journey — giving them the chance to discover new worlds, meet incredible characters, and learn things that will shape them for years to come.

 

You Can Help Young Readers Change the World

Did you know more than 700 million people go to bed hungry every night? With Heifer International, young readers have the power to change that. As children become aware of the experiences of others in our world, our responsibility is to help them not only understand but provide opportunities to make a difference. This impactful reading program allows readers to connect with others, establish better reading habits and achieve their reading goals. There are fun digital badges and “streaks” to keep them engaged. They are in charge, and along the way, they become the lifelong readers and learners you have always known them to be.

 

What is Heifer International?

Heifer International is a global nonprofit dedicated to ending world hunger and poverty in a sustainable way. For more than 80 years, we have provided families with the resources, education and opportunity to thrive — gifting hope where it’s needed most, a source of income and a brighter tomorrow. We believe that everyone deserves a future free from hunger and poverty, and we want to help instill that belief in children.

 

What is Read to Feed®?

Our Read to Feed program teaches the fundamentals of caring for others while fostering a love of reading. On the Read to Feed app, the more you read, the more you feed. For more than 20 years, kids around the world have been making a difference for families in need by reading. Now with our digital reading apps, participating in Read to Feed is even easier. Reading progress creates donation opportunities, which go directly to the fight against world hunger and poverty.

In Read to Feed, readers can unlock corporate-funded donations that help families in need by reading books and participating in “eggstra credit.” To make an even bigger impact, readers can also collect pledges based on the number of books read or the time they spent reading.

Three Ways to Use Read to Feed

  • Read to Feed: Grades K–6
    • Free downloadable app
  • Heifer Beanstack: Grades 6–12
    • Heifer hosts Read to Feed challenges on the Beanstack platform, a free web-based reading challenge site
  • Original Program: All Ages
    • Downloadable, printable resources and guides
    • Young readers set reading goals and receive sponsorships

 

Six Tips for a Meaningful Read to Feed

  1. Weave it into a unit that already has themes of multiculturalism, global topics or sustainability at play.
  2. Use the program as a tool to investigate readers’ cultural relationships to money and consumption practices. For example, in some rural areas of other countries, families prioritize their children’s essentials needs like food, health care and education. These families don’t focus on wants or items they cannot afford like toys, or sports items like soccer balls, baseball bats, etc.
  3. Use a Read to Feed event to build local community. You could invite the parents of young readers for the launch or conclusion event, or center the program around Earth Day or the holiday season.
  4. Use the program to introduce a wide range of multicultural texts that come from all around the world. Explore the languages and texts of the communities Heifer supports.
  5. Use Read to Feed alongside a character program to discuss deeper aspects of empathy and altruism, friendship or any character value you can draw from the program.
  6. Use this program as a gateway to launching a sustainability movement in your library.

Join the journey by downloading our free Read to Feed app today!

 

Plan Ahead for Summer Reading Programs

The reading adventures don’t stop here. Summer will be here before you know it. Help young readers plan ahead and start their summer reading list now!

 

  1. Choose books early.
  • Readers can start their summer reading journey by exploring and selecting books that excite them.
  1. Set clear, attainable reading goals.
  • Whether readers hope to read a certain number of books or reach a specific page count, help them find clear direction and purpose.
  1. Plan dedicated reading time.
  • Inspire readers to set aside time every day or every week for reading.
  1. Encourage readers to choose a reading buddy.
  • Young readers might discover having a reading buddy motivates them to reach their goals even more.
  1. Track reading progress.
  • Readers can use visual tools like charts or reading logs to monitor their progress.
  1. Create a reward system for reaching milestones.
  • Motivate readers to give themselves a little treat, like a trip to the library or a new book when they reach a new reading milestone.

By thinking about a summer reading journey early, readers can set themselves up for a successful summer reading experience.