LitWorld International

I had the pleasure of briefly working with LitWorld, an organization committed to strengthening kids and communities through the power of storytelling, and I can confidently recommend this nonprofit to anyone who cares about impacting the lives of children!

During my time with them, I witnessed first-hand the team's passion for their work and dedication to their mission, which was evident in everything they did. What impressed me the most about the team at LitWorld was their genuine care for those they served. They took the time to understand the unique needs of each community they worked with and tailored their programs to meet those needs. My time with LitWorld was truly meaningful, and I feel fortunate to have been a small part of their mission!

LitWorld's global footprint and impact is incredible. Their passion for addressing the challenges related to global literacy, and ability to leverage their resources to maximize that impact, is an inspiration; it provides a model for doing literacy work in a way that is effective, culturally responsive, and most importantly, fun for the individuals they serve. I couldn't recommend them more highly.

This is a wonderful foundation! They do great work around the world. They care about their beneficiaries. Any donation to this non-profit brings much impact in many lives!

I have worked with LitWorld on program planning and strategy and have been impressed by the organization's focus on their impact. This is a learning organization that doesn't rest on its laurels but strives to constantly improve and increase its impact.

Reading and books have been such a formative part of my life that I cannot even imagine my life without the gift of stories - supporting an organization like LitWorld gives me the chance to share this gift with others and to see stories shape children's characters and build communities. It's inspiring and heartwarming and makes me a better person.

For more than 15 years, LitWorld - and the team that drives its mission daily - has been dedicated to transforming hundreds of thousands of lives around the globe, guided by its longstanding values of advocacy, empowerment, inclusivity, and joy. I'm proud and excited to support this organization and its visionary leadership, generous donors, and purposeful partners as a member of the Board of Directors, all working together to strengthen communities through education. I can't think of a more worthwhile pursuit than helping children find their voice and write their own story.

I've had the privilege of being involved with LitWorld, and I can't say enough about the positive impact this nonprofit organization has had on the lives of countless individuals, young and old. LitWorld's dedication to spreading the gift of literacy is nothing short of extraordinary.

The heart and soul of LitWorld are its passionate and dedicated team of educators, volunteers, and advocates. They work tirelessly to empower communities, nurture a love for reading and writing, and create safe spaces for self-expression. Witnessing their commitment to literacy is truly inspiring.

LitWorld's programs, such as LitClubs and World Read Aloud Day, have the power to change lives. These initiatives foster a sense of belonging, self-confidence, and creativity among participants, and they celebrate the diverse voices and stories that make our world so beautiful.

What's especially wonderful about LitWorld is its commitment to inclusivity and accessibility. They reach out to marginalized communities and prioritize access to literature for all, making sure that no one is left behind. Their work extends far beyond the pages of books, touching hearts and minds.

I encourage everyone to support LitWorld in any way they can, whether through volunteering, donations, or simply spreading the word. It's an organization that proves the incredible transformational power of literacy and storytelling. Thank you, LitWorld, for your unwavering dedication to creating a brighter, more literate world for all. Keep shining!

LitWorld's mission is simple but critical: strengthening kids and communities through the power of stories. LitWorld not only attempts to bring fundamental reading and writing skills to every child around the world, they endeavor to build a global movement for equity and joy.

I have been part of the LitWorld board for over 3 years and have witnessed their programs in action. LitWorld strengthens communities through their powerful LitClubs that have been running for 10+ years, their LitCamps in partnership with Scholastic, and the annual World Read Aloud Day that celebrates the power of reading aloud.

LitWorld is run by a strong and dedicated group of individuals who work everyday to empower the communities they partner with around the world.

LitWorld is an organization that truly spreads the joy of reading and literacy throughout the United States and the world with its LitCamps and LitClubs. LitWorld partners with Scholastic books and mentoring organizations to raise awareness and spread the values that each person's story should be cherished and told!

LitWorld is a great organization with amazing staff and volunteers who have been working tirelessly to cultivate literacy skills in the world’s most vulnerable children. LitWorld’s proven model for improving literacy allows children to feel comfortable, safe and excited about reading, writing and learning in ways that are not taught at school.

I have had the pleasure of partnering with LitWorld to establish an after-school enrichment center in Prishtina, Kosovo – and the LitClub program we adopted has been so effective and well received by everyone, that within a week, the number of children attending grew from 9 to over 50.

I am excited to be a member of this community and am looking forward to help grow the LitWorld movement. Everybody should join us!

The LitWorld organization has amazing staff and volunteers that work very hard to provide tools that allow people to share their stories around the world. Their tireless efforts can be seen in the events they throw and most importantly within the LitClubs around the world and Litcamps. I had the pleasure of volunteering at their World Read Aloud Day event and Stand Up for Girls event where I witnessed first hand the enthusiasm and joy of the kids that attended. All of their events are well organized and ran smoothly because the LitWorld staff prepares the volunteers beforehand with the logistics and program information. Every year Litworld continues to strive to be better than the year before with new ideas and embraces the benefits of new technology. No matter what changes they make, the LitWorld programs continue to empower youth to be confident and provide them with hope, strength, and a sense of belonging.

The folks at LitWorld bring so much love and enthusiasm to what they do and it really shows in their programming and interactions with the communities they serve. My recent experience volunteering for their Stand Up for Girls event was wonderful and it was great to see so many young girls tell their own stories and learning to describe themselves with the language of empowerment. Working with LitWorld gives me a lot of hope for the future and Pam Allyn is an incredibly inspiring person!

After reading about LitWorld online, I felt passionate about getting involved. As a volunteer, I quickly grew to love spending time with the LitClub girls in Harlem, as well as the staff. I remember vividly the first LitClub I attended and how impressed I was with the courage, love and support that radiated throughout the room as the high school girls exchanged stories about their lives, from personal triumphs and defeats to college applications. At this year's Stand Up for Girls event, I was happy to be a part of the friendship and community being built among the elementary and grade school girls. Now, as a member of LitWorld's Young Professionals Group, I look forward to being involved in more events and helping to grow the LitWorld movement. I'm thrilled to be a part of the LitWorld team!

My experience as a LitWorld Intern was positive and educational. I first had the opportunity to work in the office, primarily planning lessons for a summer LitCamp, and then worked as a LitCamp counselor. Throughout both experiences, the LitWorld staff was supportive, and took steps to help me grow as an educator.The organization works toward a very important mission with passion and care for all involved.

I had a wonderful internship experience with LitWorld this summer, working both in the office with the full-time staff and in one of their LitCamp programs. Both work environments were serious but also loving and supportive. Each person's voice, from that of the youngest camper to that of most senior staff member to those of the summer interns, was valued, listened to, and honored. The work LitWorld does is important, and they do it with uncommon passion, sensitivity, and enthusiasm.

Working with LitWorld was a completely new and different experience for me, and one that I learned so much from. The collaboration among all the employees is astounding and makes the entire LitWorld family feel connected and united. Though the work is urgent and serious, the attitude is joyful, and this propels a spirit of kindness, love, and confidence into all their work, creating the atmosphere children need to keep reading, learning, and gaining strength.

My internship with LitWorld provided me with anything but the average intern experience. For the first month my peers and I had the opportunity to try our hands in many meaningful tasks and interact with incredible individuals involved in many aspects of social change. One of my favorite things about LitWorld is how collaborative they are, realizing where their talents are best suited and recognizing the talents of others in order to team up to create meaningful change. Beyond this, their commitment to authenticity and ensuring that their work takes on an organic form within the communities they are a part of is an integral part of who LitWorld is as an organization. The LitWorld staff is comprised of some of the most committed, compassionate, and thoughtful individuals I have ever had the pleasure to work with.

As a LitCamp intern I had the chance to work as a counselor for LitWorld’s Harlem LitCamp, which runs for 5 weeks during the months of July and August. My time as a LitCamp counselor was simply unforgettable. I was able to see the love for literacy and confidence of all of the campers soar within such a seemingly small period of time. Everything that LitWorld did was done with the best interests of the campers in mind, in order to create unforgettable experiences that many of them eagerly await each year. Seeing the campers’ transformations revealed to me that LitWorld has an incredible capacity to empower people in a way that all individuals and communities deserve.

LitWorld is and will always be our favorite organization making a "world of difference"!! As parents and grandparents what could be more important to us than supporting and investing in an organization repairing the world through literacy.

Our LitWorld story begins while reading R.J. Palacio's WONDER. In a recent TV interview with Pam
Allyn, the reporter concluded with the question, what was her favorite current children's book - - the answer, the #1 New York Times Bestseller, WONDER!! Shortly thereafter, we read that beautiful book and discovered the perfect expression of our thoughts on the amazing work of LitWorld:

Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as you can.

__ John Wesley's Rule

Sincerely,

Deborah and Warren Clayman

LitWorld is an idea that has grown from a conversation into a movement. The dream of spreading literacy around the world is becoming a reality. With new technology LitWorld is able to share its methods of teaching reading and writing to children everywhere. LitWorld trains community leaders to give children an opportunity to create a great and hopeful future for themselves through literacy and to tell their story to the world, no matter where they grew up or how poor they may be.
LitWorld is a well managed organization with big ideas that it effectively implements and turns into reality. The money raised is not used to pay a large administrative staff but primarily goes directly to promote education in underserved populations from Harlem to countries like Kenya, The Phillipines and Rwanda.
From the LitClubs where young girls share their stories and build strength to the Innovation Hubs where generations partner to improve their lives through reading and writing to LitCamps which provide a learning environment for the summer recess, education is thriving. Through literacy young people will be able to then tell their stories to their children who will be healthier both mentally and physically as they join the literate world.

Given my love of reading and for education overall, the ability to assist children, who have not had the opportunities, guidance and motivation we have had, to learn to read, is a very strong inherent desire. Seeing children begin to appreciate new concepts and to realize a whole new world beyond what, for them, might otherwise be a most somber and negative existence, is extremely gratifying.

LitWorld maintains a tireless commitment to children in many places in the world, including right here in our backyards in the USA and continues to see fabulous levels of growth in the numbers of children so much benefitting from their programs. The staff and leadership are entirely selfless in providing such wonderful literacy opportunities to those who otherwise would be condemned to a life without hope or opportunity.

We look forward to continuing to support this fine organization and encourage all those who care about future generations in less fortunate areas of the world, who absolutely can have an impact on all of us, both good and/or bad, to take a look at what these folks are doing.

I have volunteered at two LitWorld galas and attended several of LitWorld's advocacy events as a participant. From these experiences, I can confidently recommend LW as an organization worth getting involved with.

LitWorld's mission is inspiring, their events are well organized, and their staff welcomes volunteers with warmth and gratitude. In managing our group of volunteers and interns, the LW staff came prepared with every detail planned and every task thoughtfully delegated. And yet, the staff was also very trusting of volunteers, allowing us to take initiative and act on instinct when faced with unexpected challenges. Overall, a great volunteer experience.

Volunteering at the Litworld Gala this year was a great experience. The Litworld staff were incredibly well-organized ... they held a training session for volunteers before the event, they had mapped out where every volunteer would be stationed, they had materials ready on the night of the gala to help volunteers, personal instructions for individual volunteers.... the works! They made volunteering at the gala easy and fun!

LitWorld is a fantastic nonprofit that helps bring literacy to many underserved illiterate groups worldwide, and spreads a genuine love of reading. The enthusiasm of the employees is infectious and they are doing great work in NYC and abroad. I volunteered at their annual fundraising gala and was blown away by their level of organization and transparency-- not to mention their total commitment to their mission, to instill a love of reading in those who previously never had the chance to let it grow.

My experience working for LitWorld was beyond anything I would have expected. I was based in their offices in midtown NYC part time and at their partner site in Harlem. I felt immediately welcomed into a community of the most loving, driven, and passionate young women. The work we did together felt so meaningful. In harlem we ran a literacy camp for children from the community. I felt so fulfilled and really felt like I was making a difference. This summer internship has inspired me to keep working toward LitWorlds goal of literacy.
LitWorld is more than an organization it's a culture. I learned a new way to interact with people, share stories, and show passion. Though my summer internship is done I really feel like I can rely on the people I worked with and will constantly have a connection to this place.

I interned with this organization this summer and had an excellent experience. The LitWorld staff is organized, passionate, thoughtful, and dedicated to doing good domestically and internationally. Each individual has clearly internalized the mission to advocate for literacy as a human right. I was astounded by how collaborative the organization is; staff were constantly meeting with potential collaborators and fostering partnerships to achieve common goals.

As a camp counselor for LitWorld's Harlem Litcamp, I witnessed first-hand how the programming provided at no cost to the attendees brought learning, joy, and personal growth. As an intern, I felt quickly and deeply absorbed into the LitWorld culture. My time was not spent running errands, nor was I excluded during board meetings. I was assigned meaningful tasks and my input was valued. The staff worked hard in thoughtfully planning the internship, as they do for all of their programming, to ensure an excellent experience

This summer I interned with LitWorld. My main responsibility was to help plan and execute their annual 5-week LitCamp in Harlem, NY. Throughout the course of the internship the staff went out of their way to help me understand the work of the organization and feel like a member of the LitWorld family. They exposed me to other aspects of their work that interested me besides the LitCamp and truly wanted my input on different projects and proposals. As a college student, I felt that this internship went above and beyond a typical internship in that I had a clearly-defined and important role, I received a lot of attention, and my time was always structured and well-used. LitWorld does beautiful and inspiring work in a creative way and I adored my time with them this summer.

LitWorld is transforming the lives of Children and Girls in Ghana. LitWorld has formed Girls Clubs in 3 Regions in Ghana. Namely Greater Accra,Ashanti Region and Brong Ahafo Region. GADeF has learnt many lessons from LitWorld through it collaboration in the project. It is no doubt that, in the years ahead LitWorld clubs will be established in all the 10 regions in Ghana. We believe in the future of these children and will use this platform to share the success stories of LitWorld works in Ghana. With your support to LitWorld, Ghana and Africa will be transformed with brighter future for Girls and Children as a whole.

I interned with LitWorld this past summer and have not stopped bragging about the organization since then. The duality of my internship introduced me to both the administrative side of LitWorld as well as engaged me in the organization's physical mission of promoting literacy as I spent time in both the office as well as at a partner site with children in Harlem. As a workplace, LitWorld is what I consider a safe space in that it fosters an inclusive environment that encourages self-expression in order to cultivate creativity. This atmosphere reflects LitWorld's commitment to everyone's right to tell his or her own story. Perhaps the most appealing part of LitWorld is that every one of its staff members truly believes in the organization's purpose which is how such a small nonprofit has been so effective and inspiring.

I absolutely loved my time working with LitWorld. They have an amazing staff, amazing programs, and an incredible vision. Each and every one of the people who work with LitWorld and the partners they bring in to work with them are committed 100% to spreading literacy skills and literacy rights around the world. It was so inspiring working with LitWorld, one of the greatest experiences of my life! Pam Allyn, the Executive Director, is such a visionary and her excitement, passion, and dedication to LitWorld's staff and the children they work with is truly awe inspiring. Please make LitWorld on of 2012's Top-Rated Nonprofits! They truly deserve it!!

I worked with one of LitWorld's Girls Clubs in Kibera, Kenya, and then at their offices in New York as an intern. I first fell in love with LitWorld because of the girls that I met in Kibera--girls who were confident, funny, and inspirational despite the hardships they face every day. But working at the offices in New York allowed me to see what really makes this organization incredible: the passionate people who work there. I cannot say enough good things about every person who works at LitWorld. Each person uses their own talents to make the organization so dynamic. Over the summer, I Skyped with children in Kibera, worked with teens at the Polo Grounds, and met young children at Broadway Housing in Harlem. All of these kids had an excited, immediate answer to the question: What is your favorite book? That is a rare and incredible thing, I think.

LitWorld is an incredible organization. Not only is LitWorld extremely effective and well organized, the staff and volunteers are some of the most caring and intelligent people I have ever worked with. As an intern there, I truly felt like I was part of the team and that my input was valued. I highly recommend this organization!!

I was a summer intern for LitWorld in 2011. LitWorld is a true family, and welcomed me and all of the other interns with (literally) open arms. I truly felt like a part of the LitWorld team and was treated with the same level of respect and professionalism as those who had been working there for years. Becoming a part of the LitWorld family has changed the way I look at the literacy as more than a statistical component of development, but also as an essential human right and a true joy. I love LitWorld!

Litworld is an amazing, truly inspiring organization that I hope to always be a part of. My time there this past summer taught me about the power of reading, writing, teamwork, courage, and passion. The power of being able to share one's own story and learn those of others is unmatched. Litworld understands and promotes this idea and with its bright vision, will truly change the world through words.

LitWorld is the most effective, practical non-profit I have ever encountered. Its work in literacy through the LitClubs and LitCamps actually and truly impacts the kids it works with in life-changing ways. LitWorld understands that the deepest work is in the details, and that the nuts and bolts, real-life execution of its literacy programming is how it will achieve its goals. At the same time, the mission is joyful, and deeply human, and connected to the biggest pictures possible. It is about giving the tools of story and literacy, and changing perspectives so that the poorest child sees the world in an entirely new light as a place of opportunity and hope. LitWorld partners with local community leaders, always working harmoniously with the communities it serves. Pam Allyn's vision and drive and passion infuse the entire organization. LitWorld knows the pain so many children are suffering, but even more it knows the joy that lies within them, and it enables kids to nurse and tend to that joy to strengthen it into confident, literate adulthood.

LitWorld is a brilliant literacy based non-profit that uses the power of story telling to expand literacy proficiency amongst the worlds most vulnerable populations. For LW, literacy is braodly defined as reading, writing , speaking and listening. LW partners with local organizations to sponsor our after school LitClub adn Mom's Club programs, using our targeted, very effective and fun lessons, which in addition to improving literacy skills, build self confidence and resilency amongst the participants and ultimately strengthens the communities in which we work.

Litworld is a open platform to get involved with a grassroots movement to solidify the importance of reading, books, and education. They are very responsive to the needs of groups who want to spread their message. As a teacher it is a tool I can use in the classroom as a way my students can get involved to make a difference.

I interned with LitWorld for five months shortly after I graduated from college. Taking the internship was one of the best decisions I've ever made. The LitWorld family is made up of amazing, caring, passionate people who put everything they have into making the world a better place for kids everywhere. Working with some of the organization's LitClubs in Harlem, I got to see first hand the amazing impact that LitWorld's programming can have on children. LitWorld's efforts to bring education, advocacy and innovation to children around the world are powerful and effective. I have never felt like I was doing more good for the world than I did as a part of the LitWorld staff. They do an amazing job of bringing joy and hope to the children who need it most. I will continue to support their work whenever I can.

I am a former elementary school teacher and am proud to serve on the board of LitWorld. Pam Allyn is a visionary who is passionate about the power of literacy to transform the world. Being able to read, write, speak and listen enables people to stand up and be leaders for change in their communities. The work that LitWorld does lifts hearts and minds of children to make a profound impact on their community. The LitClubs build resiliency in some of the most underserved and impoverished areas of our planet. Everyone involved with the work truly believes that literacy is a right that every child deserves. And LitWorld works tirelessly to ensure that it happens!

I work in international development and am proud to serve on the Board of LitWorld because they do great grassroots work with impact. I've seen many programmes fail because they are not rooted in communities. This is the strength of LitWorld. They take the time to listen and get to know people where they live. They are guided by a spirit of service and love that makes their literacy interventions transformational for those who participate. The LitClubs fill a real need for adolescents who crave a caring, learning environment where they can become more of who they want to be.

LitWord's founder Pam Allyn believes that literacy is the foundation for emotional and physical well-being, intellectual growth, and economic security and that the right to read and write is a fundamental human right and belongs to all people. LitWorld's mission is to use Education, Advocacy and Innovation to ensure this basic human right.
LitWorld creates resilience building reading and writing experiences which empower children and connect and fortify communities. These experiences take place through participation in Boys and Girls LitClubs. The children I have visited while volunteering with LitWorld in the Boys and Girls LitClubs in Harlem, in the slum of Kibera, Kenya, and in Kisumu, Kenya have all developed a close sense of community with the members of the club, a confidence in themselves, a respect for others, and a remarkable ability to articulate a personal narrative about who they are, what they believe in, and their own hopes and dreams for the future. I have seen the curriculum that every LitClub adheres to....the "Seven Strengths" that are at the core of every LitClub activity that focus on character development, development of resilience ( as many of the club participants live in extreme poverty and have suffered incredible personal trauma), and finding ones voice and story. The clubs are a safe haven where children are taught in a loving supportive atmosphere where praise is given often, which is a new experience for many of the children. Children also use technology to connect with other club members all over the world and they begin to see themselves as world citizens with something powerful to contribute.