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January 2025 newsletter

Posted on by Laura Le

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Your holiday generosity means more kids get books!

Holiday season at Page Ahead is more like book drive season! Since Thanksgiving 2024, we have been the grateful beneficiaries of 12 book drives! From community groups like book clubs and small businesses to larger company drives, we are excited to announce that we have received over 4,000 new books! 

These books will find new homes in a child’s home library thanks to everyone who participated. We want to especially thank Barnes & Noble, Secret Garden Books, and the Eastside Welcome Club for contributing the most books to us. 

Thank you for giving!

The season of giving is a way for people to show their loved ones and their communities that they care about them. This year, you all raised a record-breaking amount to help us continue our programs. With more than $20,000 raised this year than last, we are so grateful for everyone who supports Page Ahead in any way that they can. Children all over Washington will be able to bolster their reading skills, gain confidence, and succeed in all aspects of their lives because of those who gave. 

Thank you for building home libraries with us.

Donor spotlight: Ken Jones

“Shouldn’t all kids have the opportunity to fall in love with books?”

Ken Jones, a longtime supporter of Page Ahead asked this question while talking to Page Ahead about why he is passionate about children’s literacy. 

Ken grew up in Los Angeles, CA; with professors as parents, he was always surrounded by books. One of 6 kids, he remembers fondly their trips to the library, even before he was old enough for his own library card. He and his siblings would all check out books together, maxing out each library card they shared between them. Each night, his mom would read books out loud in the living room to anyone who wanted to sit and listen. She would read all types of books, from the Lord of the Rings series to My Father’s Dragon. 

As his career progressed, Ken began looking for an organization to support—one that focused on helping kids develop a love for reading. He turned to his older sister, who was working for the Sno-Isle Libraries at the time, for recommendations. Among the options she shared, he was deeply moved by Page Ahead’s mission. The organization’s goal—to provide all children with new, self-selected books that they can keep forever—resonated with him, as it empowers kids to shape their lives and futures through literacy.

Ken’s passionate recounting of his childhood was motivating. He ended our conversation with this message: if there is even one kid who completes Page Ahead’s programs who now has a love of reading and wants to read for pleasure, as their hobby, he will feel that his support was all worth it.

Thank you to Ken, and his wife Karen, for their unwavering support of literacy for kids everywhere.  

Save the date: our annual benefit luncheon for children’s literacy

It’s hard to believe, but spring is quickly approaching which means it’s time for our annual benefit luncheon for children’s literacy,  A Taste for Reading! We’d love for you to join us for an inspiring hour about how you are making a difference in a child’s life with books.

See you on April 30, 2025 at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel!

Would you like to attend and bring some friends? Sign up to be a table captain here!

You can RSVP for the event by clicking here!

Learn more about how your company can sponsor the luncheon by emailing Development Manager, Debra Carnegie, at dcarnegie@pageahead.org

Volunteer with the Seattle Kraken

We are excited to announce a fun new way that you can support Page Ahead: volunteering at Seattle Kraken games!

Volunteer tasks will include working concessions stands, assisting with self-check-out kiosks, and monitoring Amazon “Just-Walk-Out” shops.

Page Ahead will receive $100+ for each volunteer who helps at a game this season. Volunteers must be comfortable standing for hours at a time. 

Email Laura at lle@pageahead.org if you’re interested or have any questions. 

Thank you, Trilogy for Kids!

Trilogy for Kids is a dedicated champion of literacy and an enthusiastic supporter of Page Ahead’s mission. Their involvement takes many forms–they serve as book fair helpers, organize book drives, and generously donate through the Trilogy for Kids Foundation, to name a few. Thanks to their incredible support and generous gift this year, Page Ahead will be able to purchase books for three entire schools!

Trilogy for Kids, thank you for helping ensure that every child has the opportunity to discover the joy of reading.

What we’re reading…

Debra Carnegie, Page Ahead’s Development Manager, took a stab at a new genre this month! Here’s what she has to say: 

“Although mysteries aren’t usually my go-to genre, I’d heard great things about Chris Whitaker’s All the Colors of the Dark and decided to download it to my Kindle for some holiday reading. This book turned out to be an engaging and unforgettable read.

Set in a small Missouri town in the 1970s, the story begins when a teenage girl, Misty, is abducted. A boy named Patch saves her but is taken instead. The story then follows Misty, Patch, and his loyal friend Saint, who refuses to give up the search for him. While the plot includes plenty of mystery and twists, it’s also a deeply moving exploration of trauma, love, friendship, and the power of art.

Whitaker does an amazing job bringing the characters and story to life. The book has stuck with me even weeks after I finished it, and I can’t recommend it enough. If you’re into mysteries or just love a good story with heart, give All the Colors of the Dark a try—you won’t be disappointed!”

December 2024 newsletter

Posted on by Laura Le

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We did it!

To kick off this year’s holiday season—and the season of giving overall—you, our phenomenal supporters, showed up for us in so many ways. 

For the fifth year in a row, Page Ahead has won the First Tech Season of Giving $10,000 grant! Thanks to your nominations, we not only secured the victory but received the most nominations of any participating organization. This generous grant will allow us to purchase books for 200 children, building home libraries that support their reading journeys.

We’re also thrilled to share that we met—and exceeded—our GivingTuesday matching challenge! This year, our generous sponsors, The Schreiber Family Foundation, provided $10,000 in matching funds for all GivingTuesday gifts. With your support, we surpassed our goal, raising over $20,000 to spend on home libraries for kids who need them most.

Your generosity and efforts are what make our work possible. From all of us at Page Ahead: thank you for championing children’s literacy and helping us open the door to a brighter future for young readers. 

What your support makes possible: preschool reading

We recently shipped copies of Dragons Love Tacos; The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry & the Big Hungry Bear; and, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus to 1,752 preschoolers across Washington as part of our Story Leaders program. Teachers read each book using the shared-reading techniques we train them in, and kids get copies of each book to take home! Learn more here.

Every child deserves new books

Books are the most important tool for learning—and one of life’s greatest pleasures.  No child should grow up without new books in their homes. With your help, they won’t have to.

Please make a gift today. Students like Cassidy are counting on you!

“The new books were the best because I can learn new things in the books and the books are important to me and I love my new books!”

Your tax-deductible gift by December 31, will help us say ‘Yes!’ to even more kids in 2025. Thank you for making a difference!

All of us at Page Ahead send warm holiday wishes to you—our heroes!

This holiday season, we extend our heartfelt thanks to you—our incredible community of supporters. Your advocacy, financial support, and volunteer efforts have brought the joy of choosing new books and building home libraries to thousands of kids across Washington.

What a wonderful gift you’ve given—thank you!

What we’re reading…

Darryl Wong is a Page Ahead volunteer who supports Page Ahead in a variety of ways, such as restocking Book Oasis little free libraries, helping us at special events, and packing the thousands of books for our Story Leaders programs. He recently finished Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu. 
 
Interior Chinatown has been on his reading list for quite some time, but he moved it to the top of the list once the new Hulu series was announced. Darryl always prefers to read a book before watching its adaptation! Interior Chinatown grapples with what it means to be Asian and Asian-American in Hollywood. Protagonist Willis Wu is hoping for his big break in Hollywood, but once he is there, he struggles with his identity and Hollywood’s orientalist depiction of Asians and Asian-Americans. With his unique writing style and format, Charles Yu embeds the reader into Willis’s psyche and the acting world. 
 
When looking for books to read, Darryl searches for books by Asian-American authors. Next on his list is No-no Boy by John Okada. 

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November 2024 newsletter

Posted on by Laura Le

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Nominate Page Ahead!

Just one week left in First Tech Federal Credit Union’s Season of Giving, and Page Ahead is still in the running to win a $10,000 grant. Let’s get together and rally our family, friends, and colleagues for the home stretch!

Page Ahead has won 5 years in a row with your support and we don’t want to end our streak. Put in YOUR nomination today! 

Nominations will close on November 30. Your nomination will help us give 3,100 new books to kids who need them most.

GivingTuesday

Mark your calendars for December 3—it’s GivingTuesday!

This year, Page Ahead is so grateful to our generous sponsor, The Schreiber Family Foundation. They have offered up a challenge to all of you: make a gift to Page Ahead and they will match it! All gifts made on GivingTuesday will be counted until the $10,000 challenge is reached.

Together, we can make a difference in a child’s life on GivingTuesday.

Reading Events

What a fun start to the school year it’s been!

We’ve had such a wonderful time with our volunteers and students at reading events.

Volunteers from the Page Ahead community, EY, Revel/Infogain, and PACCAR’s Kenworth Division spent 82 hours reading to 250 first and second graders at 3 different elementary schools.

We are incredibly thankful to our volunteers for inspiring a love of reading in the children in our community.

Battle of the Bars

Looking for something fun to do this month? Join us for the battle of the bars! Vinbero and Kelnero in Edmonds are hosting their monthly Battle of the Bars event this weekend (November 21 – 24). Every month they riff on a specified classic cocktail. This month’s cocktail: Old Fashioned.

Your job is to taste each participating cocktail and vote on your favorite. Each vote gets you an entry into a raffle for fun prizes. A portion of the proceeds from this weekend will help us give more books to kids.

Starting at 11 AM on Thursday, Nov. 21 through 6 PM on Sunday, Nov. 24, taste these fun cocktails, enjoy some live music, and support Page Ahead while you’re at it. See you there!

Shop at Secret Garden – Ballard GivesBack

This Black Friday weekend, Nov 29 – Dec 1, shop at Secret Garden Books in Ballard and get great deals on books and gifts for all ages.

Each year, businesses in the Ballard Business Alliance select a charity to support as part of Ballard Gives Back, and our partners at Secret Garden have chosen Page Ahead as their designated charity! A percentage of the proceeds will benefit Page Ahead and help give new books to kids who need them most this holiday season. 

What we’re reading…

Formerly a long-time Seattle area resident, Kim Dixon is a Page Ahead volunteer who enjoys reading in three kindergarten classrooms and teaching swim lessons to young and old each week near her home in Spokane. She recommends one of her favorite children’s books: The StoryBook Knight by Helen Doherty and Thomas Doherty. 

“Beautifully illustrated, it is a story about Leo the Mouse whose village trains their mice to be fighting knights.  Although Leo has a love of reading and desires to be a peaceful, gentle knight, he is elected to set off on a journey to slay a dragon. The story is about his journey and how not only does he overcome evil with good with the dragon, there are other beasts he tames along the way. The book spreads a fun message of sharing, reading and how a little kindness goes a long way.”

We’re Hiring!

Posted on by Laura Le

Full Time/Salary/Exempt
Salary range: $70 – $75k + bonus eligible

Agency Overview
Page Ahead Children’s Literacy Program works to increase the reading achievement of students from communities of concentrated low-income in Washington. A child who is not reading proficiently at the end of third grade is FOUR times more likely to drop-out of school before graduating than one who is. Starting with improving book access in the home, Page Ahead works to break down barriers to achievement and provides reading interventions that support children and families.

The Position
Reporting to and in partnership with the Executive Director (ED), the Development Manager will secure financial support for Page Ahead. Demand for our programs is growing and we need to increase our revenue in order to serve more children and families. If you are excited about the idea of helping all children become strong readers and would enjoy engaging others to support students, Page Ahead’s Development Manager position might be the right fit for you! 

Primary Responsibilities
Persuasive Writing (50%) 

  • Manage Page Ahead’s grant writing process, including: prospect researching, writing LOIs and proposals, maintaining accurate records in our CRM, tracking all deadlines and timelines, and reporting out to those who fund our work.
  • Develop key fundraising appeals, messaging and timeline(s) for individual giving campaigns, paying close attention to target audiences and organizational messaging.
  • Own all aspects of constituent communication overseeing: newsletter, annual report, social media strategy, mar/com collateral, and the Page Ahead website. Work closely with community engagement specialist to design and execute communication strategy.

Donor Cultivation and Experience (30%) 

  • Cultivate and steward relationships with donors and sponsors to maximize philanthropic support for Page Ahead. Identify and pursue opportunities for major gifts, planned giving, and corporate partnerships. 
  • Source and respond to opportunities to share Page Ahead’s mission and values (lunch and learns, presentations to community groups) and professionally represent Page Ahead in the community. 
  • Manage all donor recognition and appreciation, including collecting impact stories and photos. Work with board members, community outreach and program team members to ensure donors feel informed and appreciated. Track all donor relations (visits, emails, calls) in CRM.

Special Events (10%) 

  • Serve as project manager for Page Ahead’s annual luncheon. Responsibilities include Table Captain cultivation, logistics, sponsorship procurement, etc. 
  • Coordinate with team members to execute other fundraising events like Book Drives, and support community members, companies, and others who create events to support Page Ahead’s mission. 

Strategy and Budgeting (10%) 

  • Develop fundraising strategy and set priorities, goals and budgets (currently $1.7M). Implement a coordinated plan to increase annual fundraising revenues.  
  • Track and report on fundraising metrics, including donor contributions, retention rates, and  campaign effectiveness. Provide regular updates to Executive Director and the Board of Directors on development activities and progress towards goals. 

Minimum qualifications 

Knowledge: 

  • Must understand how to utilize data to plan and make decisions 
  • Thorough understanding of the prospecting/cultivation cycle 
  • Knows fundraising best practices and can develop plans and systems to meet fundraising goals
  • Deep knowledge of grant writing, from LOI to final reports 
  • Bachelor’s Degree 
  • Bonus: Knowledge of local or state budget process 

Skills: 

  • Excellent writing and editing skills. Must be able to write quickly and well and enjoy doing so. 
  • Persuasive public speaker/presenter. Must be able to speak convincingly and represent Page Ahead in a professional manner. An ideal candidate will be a great storyteller. 
  • Proficient with donor database software – Bloomerang preferred 
  • Skilled relationship-builder  
  • Cultural competency and demonstrated ability to work with people of diverse races, ages, genders, abilities 
  • Effective with time management 
  • Incredible follow up skills 
  • Highly organized 
  • Understands people and knows how to align their interests 
  • Given Page Ahead’s mission–excellent grammar, spelling, and punctuation are a must! 

Experience: 

  • A good candidate will have at least 3 – 5 years of demonstrated experience successfully approaching corporations, individuals, and/or foundations for financial support. 
  • Current background in planning and executing special event fundraisers 
  • Prior sales experience (in any field) desired
  • Proven experience motivating and training volunteers, ideally in a development capacity
  • Demonstrated successful grant writing experience 

This is a full-time position, and very occasional evening and weekend work is sometimes required. Page Ahead is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. All interested individuals are encouraged to apply, particularly people of color, women, and persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, and/or intersex. 

Page Ahead offers a competitive benefits package that includes: health/dental/vision insurance, retirement matching, vacation/sick leave, and 12 paid holidays. From our book-filled, accessible office in the Crown Hill neighborhood of Seattle, we serve all of Washington state. Some local travel will be expected, and access to a vehicle will be necessary. 

As part of our partnership agreement with schools, employment with Page Ahead will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Page Ahead is a scent-free office. 

To Apply 

Email your resume AND cover letter to jobs@pageahead.org.

Please no phone calls.

We’re Hiring!

Posted on by Stacey Lane

Full Time/Salary/Non-Exempt
Salary range: $58 – 61k

Agency Overview
Page Ahead Children’s Literacy Program works to increase the reading achievement of students from low-income communities in Washington. A child who is not reading proficiently at the end of third grade is FOUR times more likely to drop-out of school before graduating than one who is. Starting with improving book access in the home, Page Ahead works to break down barriers to achievement and provides reading interventions that support children and families.

The Position
Do you love the idea of helping children become strong readers? Have you ever been complimented on your organization skills? Do you have a heart for people and enjoy providing great customer service? If so, Page Ahead’s Community Outreach Specialist position might be the right fit for you!
The Community Outreach Specialist is the glue that binds the Page Ahead team together. The position works with every member of the team, as well as all of our volunteers, board members, supporters and school partners. You will enjoy this position the most if you are the kind of person who likes being in the center of everything.
Primary Responsibilities
Volunteer Coordination (40%)

  • Work with program and development managers to determine current needs, then manage all aspects of volunteer recruitment, from creating posts and marketing on social media to running background checks on new volunteers
  • Utilize our database to identify and schedule volunteers for office, event and/or program activities
  • Provide training, encouragement and abundant appreciation. Plan volunteer appreciation party, recognize birthdays and milestones, etc
  • Manage all volunteer communication, including producing the quarterly volunteer newsletter
  • Work with corporate groups to support team volunteering. Prepare materials and provide instructions, share the ‘why’ what they are doing is important, and recognize achievement in person and in public (via social media)
  • Greet and welcome all volunteers, book drive coordinators/donors, and visitors
    Development Support (40%)
  • Assist in planning and overseeing fundraising activities and events
  • Utilize design software to create flyers, sponsorship packets, invitations, postcards, etc
  • Responsible for all aspects of the donor acknowledgement experience, from opening the mail to recording donations in our database, to generating thank you letters. Works with board members to recognize supporters as appropriate.
  • Run reports in database to support development manager in planning and tracking results from fundraising events and campaigns
  • Order print materials, t-shirts and supplies for events, appeals and book drives
    Program Coordination (10%)
  • Support our school partners by verifying volunteer needs and creating/posting volunteer shifts online
  • Order all supplies and materials (book bags, labels, etc)
  • Manage the packing and shipping process for all programs – including packing and scheduling UPS shipments, providing tracking information to school partners, etc
  • Communicate program activities through social media, Page Ahead newsletter, and website
  • Create and update program documents, forms and spreadsheets
  • Coordinate closely with program manager to ensure each program’s volunteer needs are met
    Administrative/Communication Tasks (10%)
  • Update website content on monthly basis
  • Manage Page Ahead’s social media accounts
  • Provide bookkeeping support: batch and prepare invoices for payment, prepare cash receipts for deposit, etc.
  • Assume primary responsibility for maintaining office and printer networks, office machines and phones. Troubleshoot problems and provide support and training to other staff. Coordinate with IT vendor to solve problems/schedule maintenance.
  • Assist Executive Director with board administration, including assembling board packets, and coordinating communication and calendars
    Minimum Qualifications
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as the ability to organize and share complex information clearly and concisely. (We are a literacy organization after all!)
  • Related employment or educational experience, which may include customer service, data entry, relationship management, and public outreach.
  • You must be detail-oriented and have strong organizational skills to manage a high volume of volunteer/donor interactions and accurate database entry. Experience managing ongoing customer relationships and/or accounts preferred.
  • Demonstrated commitment to racial equity and social justice
  • Strong customer service orientation, and passion for direct engagement with donors, volunteers and our school partners.
  • Competency or willingness to learn WordPress, Google Suite, Bloomerang (or another customer relationship management platform).
  • Competency in and/or a willingness to learn Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, or similar creative products.
  • Desirable Qualifications
  • Previous experience working with volunteers
  • Bachelor’s degree
  • Ability to connect with a diverse group of people
  • Ability to successfully prioritize tasks to meet deadlines and reach goals
  • Experience developing visuals, marketing collateral, etc
  • Effective at working on a small, collaborative team as well as independently
  • Ability to organize others and contribute to team’s ability to stay on track
    This is a 40 hour per week position, and very occasional evening and weekend work is sometimes required. Page Ahead is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. All interested individuals are encouraged to apply, particularly people of color, women, and persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, and/or intersex.
    Page Ahead offers a competitive benefits package that includes: health/dental/vision insurance, retirement matching, vacation/sick leave, and 12 paid holidays. From our book-filled, accessible office in the Crown Hill neighborhood of Seattle, we serve all of Washington state. Some local travel will be expected.
    As part of our partnership agreement with schools, employment with Page Ahead will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Page Ahead is a scent-free office.

    To Apply
    Email your resume AND cover letter to: jobs@pageahead.org

    Please no phone calls.

Ballard Gives Back at Secret Garden Books

Posted on by Stacey Lane

November 24 – 26, you can visit our friends at Secret Garden Books in Ballard and get great deals on books and gifts for all ages.  Secret Garden is generously donating a portion of their sales from Friday through Sunday to Page Ahead, and they are accepting books and gift certificates purchased on Page Ahead’s behalf as well. Stop by to say hi, shop local, and give!