INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Every year, the deployment of over 100,000 military parents leaves nearly 250,000 children at home, and this separation can take an emotional toll on military families.

United Through Reading, a pioneering nonprofit organization, recognizes the importance of maintaining connections between service members and their children by reading aloud.

Through this program, service members and veterans can provide their families with myriad benefits. These include alleviating the stress of being apart, fostering positive emotional bonds, and ensuring children feel loved and supported.

Furthermore, reading promotes early childhood literacy, language skills, vocabulary development, and educational success. United Through Reading has been at the forefront of this vital mission since 1989, with over 3 million military family members benefiting from the program.

By offering storytime video recordings and delivering books to military families, United Through Reading keeps families reading-ready, bridging the gap created by military duty and maintaining the precious connection between loved ones, no matter the distance.

Service members and veterans can easily record a story for their family at one of over 400 United Through Reading recording locations worldwide or through their mobile devices using a free and secure reading app.

This program has become a support for military families, reinforcing the importance of staying connected through the power of storytelling.