Masons of California, Raising a Reader and WUSD Expand Programs to Improve Afghan Refugee Student Literacy

10.06.2024

With the generous support of the Masons of California, we’ve developed our first-ever collection of bilingual books in both English and Farsi to serve families in Washington Unified School District in
West Sacramento. This expansion reaffirms our commitment to ensuring every child feels seen and valued. Over the past 13 years, with the Masons’ continued support, we’ve reached more than 920 classrooms statewide, and Washington Unified is the latest addition to our growing impact.

Raising a Reader CEO, Michelle Torgerson, shares more in this interview with CapRadio. You can also watch this clip from ABC News and, click the image below to read the full article from the West Sacramento – News Ledger.

07.25.2026 Featured

Reading Together Can Change the Story for Boys

Recent headlines have renewed attention to a troubling trend. Boys continue to lag behind girls in reading achievement throughout their school years. From governors highlighting literacy gaps to national research examining long-term educational outcomes, the message is clear. If we want to improve literacy for all children, we must better meet the needs of boys. At Raising a Reader, we believe the path to reading success ...

07.07.2026 From the CEO

North Carolina is showing what is possible when statewide systems, local partnership, and families work together to strengthen early literacy

By Michelle Torgerson, President and CEO, Raising a Reader Through the Smart Start Network and Raising a Reader’s 33 North Carolina Affiliates, communities across the state are helping families build joyful shared reading routines. Together, they are strengthening caregiver-child relationships, expanding access to books, and laying the early literacy foundation every child needs to thrive. At a time when communities (and states) across the country are looking ...