Norma's R2L Very Hungry Caterpillar Challenge!

Hello, friends and supporters!

North Texas Giving Day is Thursday, Sept. 18th, and I’m setting a personal goal to raise $5,000 for Readers 2 Leaders — and I need your help!

I recently celebrated 14 years at R2L, and I’ve seen how our programs transform children’s lives. Even with recent funding cuts from shifts in the education landscape and the end of COVID-era funding, our parents and community continue to rally around us. When we asked for feedback during an after-school focus group, the most common response was: “We love the program. Please don’t take it away!”

Our students are achieving amazing results. In the latest i-Ready assessment, 80% of R2L Tutoring students met or exceeded the typical annual growth target, compared to the national benchmark of 50%. Your support helps make these outcomes possible — giving children confidence, skills, and a love of reading.

Now, for a little fun… I’m taking on the Very Hungry Caterpillar Challenge:

• Early giving goal: Raise $1,000 before Sept. 18th, and I’ll dress up as a caterpillar 🐛

• Giving Day, Sept. 18th: For each additional $1,000, I’ll eat my way through the book’s foods (apple at 9am, two pears at 10am… 🍐🍓🫐) in my caterpillar costume.

• If we reach $3,000 by the after-school program, I’ll tackle the Saturday feast — chocolate cake, ice cream cone, pickle, Swiss cheese, salami, lollipop, cherry pie, sausage, cupcake, and watermelon — still in my caterpillar costume.

• After the feast, I’ll dress up as a butterfly during the after-school program ✨

• If we hit $5,000 by midnight, I’ll throw the students a “Magic Snack Buffet” with sparkly cupcakes, rainbow popcorn, and more — date TBD.

Each milestone you unlock makes the day sillier for me, more fun for our students, and more impact possible in their lives. You can give anytime between now and midnight on Thursday, Sept. 18th. 

Thank you for helping children dream big, grow strong, and transform — just like the caterpillar. 🦋

With gratitude,

Norma