SMART Receives Grant of $40,000 from the Fred Meyer Fund
18 February 2010 – SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) announced today it has received a grant totaling $40,000 from the Fred Meyer Fund for SMART in Warrenton, Coos Bay and Roseburg to provide one-on-one literacy support for K-3 children. Full release.
SMART Book Award Campaign Promotes Importance of Children’s Reading and Book Ownership
New Resources for Families via Web and Mobile plus Book Giveaways in February
1 February 2010 – The nonprofit SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) is promoting the importance of children’s reading and book ownership via this first annual campaign, running in tandem with its SMART Book Award event. On February 1 the organization is launching a new website for families at smartbookaward.org that includes reading tips, book recommendations and more. Full release.
SMART Recognized as Sixth Most Admired Nonprofit in Oregon
Achieves Top Ten Ranking Out of 150 Nonprofits
18 December 2009 – More than 1,800 Oregon CEOs and top-level managers were asked their opinions on the greatest companies in Oregon. SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) was named the sixth Most Admired Nonprofit in the state at an awards luncheon hosted by the Portland Business Journal. Full release.
KGW Making Readers Campaign Raises Over $40,000 For Literacy Group
11 December 2009 – Local children from low-income families will receive more than 16,000 books after literacy lovers in the local region donated more than $40,000 to SMART (Start Making A Reader Today). The funds were raised through the first annual KGW Making Readers campaign held recently in partnership with Wells Fargo, Portland Trail Blazers and KGW NewsChannel 8. Full release.
Four Community Leaders Join SMART Board of Directors
8 December 2009. – SMART welcomes the following individuals to its board of directors: Eric Parsons, Janae Sorenson, Joey Harrington, and Linda Moore. Each member brings to SMART a wealth of experience and a commitment to the cause of children’s literacy. Full release.
SMART Named One of Oregon's Most Admired Nonprofits
6 November 2009 - More than 2,000 Oregon CEOs were asked their opinions on the greatest companies in Oregon. SMART was selected as a 2009 Most Admired Nonprofit. We’ll find out exactly where we rank at a luncheon on December 10 hosted by the Portland Business Journal. Previously SMART ranked #8 (2006) and #10 (2005).
SMART Serving 9,000 Children In Need, Adding Online Tools for Volunteers
7 October 2009 - SMART is gearing up to open programs throughout Oregon during the week of October 12. The organization’s 2009-10 goal is to open at 234 sites and share the joy of reading with 9,078 kids statewide. Full release.
KGW NewsChannel 8 Kicks Off KGW Making Readers Campaign
2 October 2009 - KGW NewsChannel 8 in partnership with Wells Fargo, Portland Trail Blazers and SMART announced today the 1st Annual KGW Making Readers campaign. The purpose of this campaign is to engage the public in the importance of literacy by providing books to kids who need them most. Full release.
237 Schools Throughout Oregon Participating in SMART
This month the SMART reading program opens in hundreds of schools statewide including 11 new schools added this year. Weekly one-on-one reading sessions take place October through May, serving thousands of kindergarten to third grade students throughout Oregon. Read the rest.
PGE Park and the Portland Beavers Host SMART Appreciation Night on May 16
Throwing the first pitch at the Portland Beavers' May 16 game against the Las Vegas 51s will be SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) board member and volunteer, Tom Gilbertson. In addition to reading with two students every week at Whitman Elementary in SE Portland, Tom is a senior vice president with RBC Wealth Management. Read the rest.
Bark, George Wins the Vote of Young Oregonians
This month at a ceremony at the Portland Children’s Museum, SMART revealed the ninth annual SMART Book Award winner: Bark, George by Jules Feiffer. Instead of barking, the puppy George meows, quacks, and moos. His mother takes him to a vet who discovers the reason. Read the rest.
Young Readers Score Big with Wells Fargo, Trail Blazers
Wells Fargo donated $250 to SMART for a “SMART Play of the Game” during Trail Blazers home games this season for a total of $10,000. The Trail Blazers have matched the amount, resulting in the $20,000 donation.
At halftime of tonight’s Trail Blazers game at the Rose Garden, Wells Fargo and the Trail Blazers will present a $20,000 check to SMART CEO Terry Shanley. Read the rest.
SMART Restructures Organization, Reduces Budget by $1 Million
“This is an evolutionary step aimed at positioning SMART for growth,” said Terry Shanley, SMART CEO. “For the past five years, our delivery numbers have plateaued at an average of 10,000 children served each year. We estimate that more than 50,000 Oregon children could benefit from the one-on-one attention provided by SMART. We are restructuring to make SMART scalable without increasing our budget fivefold." Read the rest.
SMART Selects Five Nominees for Ninth Annual Book Award
This year marks the ninth annual SMART Book Award. Nominated books encompass a range of stories from a hippopotamus with the hiccups, to an enterprising and hungry cat and more. Read the rest.
SMART Adds Two New Board Members
Tom Gilbertson brings fundraising and financial expertise to the board and is the newly appointed chair of the Development Committee. Kent Lewis brings more than 10 years’ experience in search engine marketing and has played an active role on the SMART PR & Marketing Committee for several years. Read the rest.