Minnesotans Making Sure Military Kids Get Bedtime Stories When Mom and Dad are Deployed

June 08, 2017 12:00 AM

A national non-profit called United Through Reading just launched its 40 million Stories Campaign.  Supporters were invited to the Minneapolis Club to help with the mission.
           
United Through Reading records video of active service members reading stories. The DVD's are sent to their young loved ones to enjoy at home. They do this in more than 200 safe locations worldwide.
           
Andrew Sparks, who serves in the U.S. Navy, says the service UTR provides is important because when you’re deployed the environment can be challenging and unpredictable.

"And sometimes it's hard to set a schedule where both you as the deployed member and your family can actually communicate," he said. "And sometimes the communication methods which we all enjoy here, like internet and phone and all those things sometimes aren't reliable when you're overseas."

Last year, military children read more than eight million stories with the help of UTR.  The goal this year is 40 million.