Annual fundraiser to raise funds to support early literacy programs
Tickets are available!
Join us as Children’s Literacy Initiative raises funds to support programs that help
teachers and students succeed. A single ticket purchase gets you full access to each event hosted during Spirit Week. See schedule below:
Monday
May 16, 2022
6:00 PM (ET)
A Special Affirming Identities Read Aloud
featuring Jason Reynolds
Tuesday
May 17, 2022
6:00 PM (ET)
CLI's Family Game Night featuring family fun games, reading tips, prizes, and more
Thursday
May 19, 2022
6:00 PM (ET)
Raise a Glass for Reading
Annual Fundraiser w/exclusive Jason Reynolds Interview
Friday
May 20, 2022
Day of Gratitude
and Week in Review
*not a virtual event
Purchase your Raise a Glass for reading tickets today!
ANNUAL CELEBRATION FOR LITERACY
Raise a Glass for Reading!
Raise a Glass for Reading (RGR) tickets are now available for purchase.
RGR has been the signature event for CLI since starting in 2017 in Chicago. The fundraiser is an annual celebration to recognize the hard work of our coaches, teachers, and children, and to recommit our focus to create and implement durable, culturally sustaining, early literacy practice in the classroom.
This year’s celebration will be spread across a Spirit Week from May 16, 2022 through May 20, 2022. In accordance with our values and prioritizing the health of our community, CLI has decided to host each event virtually. Continuing the virtual tradition will allow our CLI community across the country to participate.
National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature
Fireside Chat with
Jason Reynolds
We are excited to announce this year’s Raise a Glass for Reading fireside chat guest is Jason Reynolds! Mr. Reynolds is a New York Times Bestselling author and the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. His books include Stamped, Stuntboy, Miles Morales Spider-Man, As Brave As You, All American Boys, and so many more. We hope you join us on Thursday’s event for an engaging conversation with an incredible advocate for children’s literacy. Jason’s nationwide recognition will draw an even larger audience to this year’s event.
Purchase your Raise a Glass for reading tickets today!
Raising funds to support programs that help teachers and students succeed, Raise a Glass for Reading events present the opportunity to showcase your commitment to children’s literacy, early childhood education and social justice.
Monday
May 16, 2022
6:00 PM (ET)
A Special Affirming Identities Read Aloud
featuring Jason Reynolds
Tuesday
May 17, 2022
6:00 PM (ET)
CLI's Family Game Night featuring reading tips, prizes, and more
Thursday
May 19, 2022
6:00 PM (ET)
Annual Fundraiser w/exclusive Jason Reynolds Interview
Friday
May 20, 2022
Day of Gratitude
and Week in Review
*not a virtual event
Supporting Children's Literacy Initiative
There are other ways you can support CLI and this year's annual fundraiser. With your investment, we can amplify reading outcomes for Black and Latinx children. Your investment will enable CLI and its partners to normalize anti-racist, culturally sustaining early literacy instruction and catalyze generational impact at the onset of every Black and Latinx child's literacy journey.
Make a gift and empower a child.
Sponsor Raise a Glass for Reading
Represent Literacy to Liberation
This year, in connection with our annual fundraiser, Raise a Glass for Reading, we are launching a new way to support CLI and share our mission with others. With our recent mission sharpening, literacy to liberation has been our signature phrasing that embodies our work.
Interested in becoming a sponsor for this year's event? Contact us today.
2021 raise a glass for reading
Last Year's Event Recap
Last year's virtual event was an incredible success, featuring stories from our teachers, staff, and an evening of jazz. We were treated to three special numbers by Philadelphia's own, the Smooth Show. New York Times best-selling creator, artist, and illustrator, Vashti Harrison, joined us for a fireside chat, sharing insights from her professional journey, her creative inspiration, and her deep passion for black and brown children.
Check out some of the recap videos below, and visit last year's event page to see more.