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.

10.15.2026 Press Releases

Preorder Raising a Readers NEW Native Collections

Children deserve to see a wide range of families, cultures and experiences reflected in the books they read—and to discover stories that open the door to conversation, connection and learning. Raising a Reader’s Native collections feature books by Native authors and illustrators, as well as stories about Native children and experiences. Designed for children in PreK–2, the collections can support classroom libraries, family literacy, shared ...

08.15.2026 Partners Spotlight Series

Building Brighter Futures Through Early Literacy: A Conversation with the CenterPoint Energy Foundation

Every child deserves the opportunity to discover the joy of reading and build a strong foundation for lifelong learning. Making this possible takes meaningful partnerships with organizations that share our commitment to supporting children and families. Through our partnership with the CenterPoint Energy Foundation, we’re expanding access to books and early literacy resources in Greater Minnesota, helping more families build reading ...