United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut Kicks Off Summer Reading with the Million Minute Challenge

Jun.23, 2021

Hartford, Conn. (June 23, 2021) – United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut announced today the launch of the Million Minute Challenge, the largest summer reading campaign in the region.

United Way is challenging children and families to read a combined total of one million minutes. The Million Minute Challenge complements other summer reading programs for children and offers incentives such as tickets to sporting events for runners-up and five (5) Kindle Kids as grand prizes.

Children, classrooms, groups, friends and families are encouraged to pledge to read daily at unitedwayinc.org/MMC. United Way estimates it will take 650 individual children throughout central and northeastern Connecticut to read 20 minutes every day during the summer break to achieve the community goal of one million minutes.

“All are invited to participate in the Million Minute Challenge,” said Paula S. Gilberto, President and CEO, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut. “It’s free and easy to pledge your minutes. This is a great opportunity to encourage children to read, and for adults – parents, friends, youth-serving agency staff – to share their love of reading with children. Just twenty minutes a day will make a difference.”

The Million Minute Challenge is one of several initiatives of United WE READ, helping to ensure that children achieve developmental milestones. Reading proficiently by the start of the fourth grade is a predictor of on-time high school graduation and future college and career success.

United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut is partnering with childcare centers, local school districts, municipalities, libraries and other organizations serving young children to ensure one million minutes of reading is accomplished. Regional and national tools and resources in support of early literacy and this challenge are available at unitedwayinc.org/MMC.