Celebrating 30 Years of Literacy: Success By 6 Read-a-Thon Wrap-Up
From June 1 to June 30, 2025, United Way of Central Florida (UWCF) proudly celebrated the 30th anniversary of Success By 6 with a month-long Read-a-Thon. This joyful event honored three decades of promoting early childhood literacy and development.
Throughout the month, children across Central Florida immersed themselves in stories, building both their reading skills and imaginations. A total of 3,960 books were logged by participants, highlighting the community’s strong commitment to literacy and learning.
UWCF was thrilled to welcome more than 550 young readers and their families to this year’s Read-a-Thon. Many parents shared that they had not previously heard of UWCF’s programs, making the event a valuable opportunity to introduce new families to the resources and support available.
The Read-a-Thon is more than just a summer activity—it supports UWCF’s mission to ensure every child enters school ready to succeed. Research shows that children who read regularly during the summer are better prepared for the academic year. By encouraging consistent reading habits, UWCF is helping to close the literacy gap and support long-term educational success.
Success By 6, founded in 1995 by Carol Jenkins Barnett—then director of Publix Super Markets Charities—is a community-wide initiative led by United Way of Central Florida. Its mission is to ensure that all children in Polk, Hardee, and Highlands counties enter school mentally, physically, socially, and emotionally prepared to succeed. The program brings together resources from businesses, government, faith-based organizations, educators, and health services to prioritize early childhood development. Through initiatives like ReadingPals, Born Learning, and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Success By 6 has become a cornerstone in building a strong foundation for young children in Central Florida.
Thank You
We extend our heartfelt thanks to every child, parent, and caregiver who contributed to the success of our first Read-a-Thon. Your participation helps UWCF continue the vital work of Success By 6, now in its 30th year.
Here’s to three decades of building brighter beginnings—and to many more stories to come.