SAN DIEGO, Calif., September 22, 2026 — United Through Reading (UTR), a national nonprofit dedicated to helping military families stay connected through shared storytime, invites educators, librarians, homeschool families, and community groups to participate in the 5th annual Storytime With a Service Member program during Veterans Day week, November 9-13, 2026.
Last year, more than 1,500 classrooms and community groups participated across all 50 states and beyond.
Participants will receive a curated playlist of storytime videos featuring service members and veterans from across the U.S. military, along with companion activities designed to extend learning and spark meaningful conversations about service and military life. The program is free, and every registered classroom or group will be eligible to win book bundles for their classroom, group, or library.
"We're so excited for this year's program," said Penney Letrud-Samons, UTR's Director of Special Programs. "It's not only a meaningful way to celebrate Veterans Day, but also an opportunity for military-connected children and families to be recognized and supported within their learning communities."
To register for the free Storytime With a Service Member program, visit https://unitedthroughreading.org/veteransday/. Registered participants will receive the playlist and activities and can use the resources whenever best fits their schedules during Veterans Day week.
"United Through Reading is honored to serve active duty and veteran families around the world," said CEO Carrie Valentine Fuller. "We hope students, educators, and communities across the globe will join us in this special celebration of service, sacrifice, and connection through the power of storytime."
To learn more about United Through Reading or support military families through a donation, visit www.unitedthroughreading.org.
United Through Reading (UTR) is a nonprofit organization that helps military service members stay connected to their families through the simple, powerful act of reading aloud. For more than 37 years, UTR has enabled deployed, stationed, and geographically separated service members to record storytime videos their children can watch anytime, anywhere. Through shared storytime, UTR helps strengthen family bonds, support literacy, and ease the stress of time apart.
Learn more at www.unitedthroughreading.org and follow UTR on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
