KHF partners with United Way of the Plains to #Fight4Literacy

WICHITA, Kan., Feb. 7, 2022 – After great community support for contributions to the #Fight4Literacy effort, the Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) is pleased to announce that it will contribute $5,000 to match an additional $5,000 in local contributions. The #Fight4Literacy is a partnership between the United Way of the Plains, Wichita State University’s Men’s Basketball team and Coaching for Literacy’s #Fight4Literacy Game night on Feb. 12.

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Forty colleges across the nation are participating in Coaching for Literacy, a national initiative bringing college basketball fans and teams together to support local literacy programs. The Shockers are the current reigning #Fight4Literacy national champions and this year’s donations are underway at https://unitedwayplains.org/literacy. As of Monday afternoon, Shocker nation has raised more than $6,000, with the first $5,000 matched dollar-for-dollar last week by Coaching for Literacy and now KHF will match the second $5,000.

Donations to #Fight4Literacy help Shocker Nation provide books and supplies to kindergarten through third grade students and help United Way of the Plains’ Read to Succeed tutoring program in Wichita’s Shocker neighborhood, located in Northeast Wichita.

“The Kansas Health Foundation is pleased to match $5,000 in additional local donations to support literacy efforts in the Shocker neighborhood located in the 67214 zip code, an area in Wichita with the greatest health and racial disparities,” said Teresa Miller, KHF president and CEO. “We greatly appreciate the continued support of Wichita State University and United Way of the Plains to help invest in this community and in our children.”

For the past several years, KHF has supported literacy efforts in communities with the lowest reading scores across Kansas. United Way of the Plains and KHF understand that early childhood literacy is incredibly important, as students not reading at grade level by fourth grade are four times more likely to drop out of school.

“What’s exciting about this program is that 100% of donations stay local through United Way of the Plains and go to supporting literacy programs in Title I elementary schools in the Shocker neighborhood,” said Pete Najera, United Way of the Plains president and CEO. “Thanks to KHF’s donation, even more local children will receive resources and books featuring diverse characters as they learn to read.”

Donations are underway and fans can track the team’s progress against the 40 other college teams at this link. Go Shockers!

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

• Ashley Brunhoeber, Communication Officer, Kansas Health Foundation, (316) 491-8414, abrunhoeber@khf.org
• Angie Prather, Vice President of Marketing and Chief Community Engagement Officer, United Way of the Plains, (316) 267‑1321, ext. 4105, aprather@unitedwayplains.org

ABOUT THE KANSAS HEALTH FOUNDATION: The Kansas Health Foundation is based in Wichita, but statewide in its focus. With a mission to improve the health of all Kansans, KHF envisions a culture in which every Kansan can make healthy choices where they live, work and play. During the past 35 years, KHF has provided more than $600 million in grants to improve health in Kansas communities.

ABOUT UNITED WAY OF THE PLAINS: United Way of the Plains is a nonprofit and for-impact organization that focuses on health, education, financial stability and basic needs – the building blocks for a good quality of life and a strong community. Our mission is to improve lives by harnessing the caring power of our community to advance the common good in south central Kansas. Follow us on these social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.