The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation (AAACF), which focuses on enriching the quality of life in Washtenaw County, has been providing support to Our Community Reads for the past three years. Our Community Reads is a nonprofit organization that provides safe reading spaces and events for young students in the Ypsilanti area to grow and learn.

The Gift of Reading

What started as a simple story time for Kallista Walker, a paraprofessional at Erickson Elementary School, grew into a nonprofit organization named Our Community Reads in 2020. Our Community Reads creates safe environments where children and their families can find joy in learning and growing together through the gift of reading. Research suggests that early experiences with books help build the cognitive and emotional foundation children need to thrive, now and in the future.

Encouraging Students to Dream Big

While listening to stories in small reading circles at Our Community Reads events, “books became windows into new worlds and mirrors reflecting the brilliance of our young scholars,” said Kallista Walker. In addition to reading circles, a YouTube channel was launched where volunteers read picture books out loud. These stories showcase a wide range of possible career paths, helping young minds imagine what their futures could hold and encouraging them to dream big. Thanks to Kallista Walker and a dedicated team of Community Readers, story time extends far beyond simply listening to a book.

From Early Literacy to Educational Opportunity

The early moments of curiosity sparked through reading often grow into lifelong pathways of learning. At AAACF, that belief extends beyond early childhood literacy to long-term educational access through the Community Scholarship Program (CSP) and more than thirty other scholarships. 

Each year, AAACF’s Community Scholarship Program provides vital financial support to students across Washtenaw County as they pursue higher education. By investing in students at every stage - from early readers to graduating seniors - AAACF and community partners like Our Community Reads help ensure that opportunity grows alongside ambition.

First-generation, low-income, youth-of-color students in Washtenaw County are encouraged to apply for this year's scholarship opportunities and take the next step toward their educational goals. Apply now through our Scholarship portal.

Community-centered programs like Our Community Reads help plant the seeds of confidence, curiosity, and possibility early on - while AAACF’s scholarships help students carry those dreams forward into their next chapters.

Discoveries Beyond the Classroom

Kallista Walker shared, “With AAACF’s support, Our Community Reads has gone far beyond classroom walls.” The nonprofit has had the opportunity to travel with students to various college campuses, including Howard, Harvard, and Stanford. These experiences expand students’ knowledge of our history by visiting the places where it happened - from Atlanta to Boston to Oakland to Washington, D.C. “These journeys are more than trips - they expand what our children believe is possible,” says Walker.

AAACF’s Investments Shape the Future

According to Kallista Walker, ”The ripple is reaching home.” Families are reading together, attending story circles, and taking bold steps. Some of our parents have returned to college, ready to change their own futures too. Over 50 story times, hundreds of culturally diverse books, and countless shared moments later - AAACF’s investment is helping children and caregivers rewrite their stories and chart new pathways, side by side.”

Through literacy, travel, and community connection, Our Community Reads cultivates experiences that spark imagination, inspire confidence, and open pathways to possibility for young students and their families in the Ypsilanti area. AAACF is proud to support this nonprofit organization and looks forward to seeing this work continue to grow and flourish.