LOS ANGELES – Dodger pitcher Bobby Miller will join students at Para Los Niños Charter Elementary in Los Angeles at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 3 to launch the 2024 LA Reads program and the Dodgers Reading Champions challenge, brought to the community by the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF). The Dodgers and LADF are in their ninth season of LA Reads, a joint literacy program designed to motivate youth to build a lifelong love of reading with engaging programs and educational resources throughout the year.

The LA Reads program also includes book giveaways with Dodger players, coaches, broadcasters and alumni, as well as partnerships with libraries and literacy nonprofits. LA Reads also features Literacy Corners, which are renovated and refurbished after-school centers and libraries with new furniture, paint and flooring, and stocked with age-appropriate books. Since 2017, more than 25,000 books have been distributed. The Dodgers Reading Champions (DRC) challenge incentivizes youth participants grades K through 8 to read 30 minutes or more per day.

"Last year, almost 60% of California's third graders could not read at grade level. We are thrilled to once again launch our LA Reads program to ignite the love of reading for Angelenos and put a spotlight on this pressing issue” said Nichol Whiteman, CEO, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. “By championing the power of reading, we aim to open doors for our youth, fostering a brighter, more equitable future for all."

“Reading is a foundational step toward creating greater equality and equity in our society, which is why the Dodgers continue to invest in improving the literacy challenge facing far too many within our local community,” said Kristin McCowan, Los Angeles Dodgers Vice President of Government and Community Affairs. “Expanding children’s access to literature, through the provision of literary resources, Literacy Corners and safe spaces to read, shows that the Dodgers remain committed to creating a more equitable society every day.”

The Dodgers and LADF will continue to work with the Los Angeles Public Library, the Library Foundation of Los Angeles, various local schools, parks, after-school programs and local libraries throughout the region, to host Storytimes and giveaways. Additionally, LADF holds its signature community resource events, Dodger Days, and provides Dodgers Dreamteam youth with free books, showcasing diverse authors and characters, ensuring access to essential educational resources.

For more information or to register a child for Dodgers Reading Champions, visit dodgers.com/lareads.