United Way has announced a grant of more than $5 million from UPS and its employees in support of efforts to improve reading skills among low-income children.

The funds include $3.5 million contributed by UPS employees in support of various educational initiatives and $1.5 million from the UPS Foundation in support of the efforts of local United Way affiliates working with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading to improve school readiness, reduce absenteeism in the early grades, and expand summer learning opportunities among children from low-income families. Launched in 2010 with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation to double the number of low-income third-graders reading at grade level by 2020, the campaign is active in more than a hundred and forty communities.

"This decision by UPS and it employees will enable local United Ways to create more hopeful futures for tens of thousands of children throughout the nation," said Ralph Smith, managing director of the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. "Supporting the people and organizations who know the context, history, and changing dynamics of their communities is a smart and effective investment strategy."