Your Support Matters
WITS is proud to be 100% privately funded, ensuring uninterrupted program delivery that does not rely on school or city budgets.Make a difference in the lives of Chicago's elementary students and teachers by supporting the WITS mission. There are many ways you can make a significant impact:
- Whether you make a one-time or recurring donation, your financial support keeps WITS programs free and accessible to Chicago Public Schools students and teachers.
- Starting a fundraiser is a great way to rally your friends and family to support WITS. By sharing your personal story and connection to WITS, you raise funds and increase awareness about the importance of literacy.
- WITS has over 30 years of experience partnering with Chicago corporations. As a WITS partner, your support funds literacy-based mentorship and book-granting programs that foster literacy growth, mentor relationships, and book access.
No matter how you choose to support WITS, your contribution plays a vital role in empowering students to discover themselves through reading and develop foundational literacy skills.
According to data from The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), based on testing from 2025, only 41% of students in Chicago Public Schools are proficient in reading.
By year’s end, 62% of WITS students read at or above grade-level, nearly double the rate of 37% for all students at WITS schools.
80% of WITS-K teachers reported their students had developed specialized reading interests throughout the year, an increase of more than 44% from the beginning of the 2024-25 school year.
91% of WITS students reported having positive attitudes towards reading at the end of the 2024-25 school year, up from 73% at the beginning of the year.
At the end of the 2024-25 school year, an across-program average of 94% of WITS students reported feeling good or very good about spending time with their mentors.
Partnership Opportunities
As a WITS partner, your support funds literacy-based mentorship and book-granting programs that foster literacy growth, mentor relationships, and book access—making these essential programs free for schools and families.
Program Partner
$40,000
Year-long mentorship for 20+ volunteers
Cross-marketing with your team
Dedicated blog post
~82K website sessions a yearEmployee mentors to deliver book bags to students
Dedicated social media post
~7K social media followersLogo featured on t-shirts for 600 mentors and teachers
Logo featured on book bags for 1,000 students
Logo featured on literacy activities for 1,000 students
Logo featured in emails
~10,000 subcribersLogo featured on WITS web pages
~82K website sessions a yearNominate a WITS Associates Board member
Partner With UsSchedule A Call
School Supporter
$25,000
Dedicated social media post
~7K social media followersLogo featured on t-shirts for 600 mentors and teachers
Logo featured on book bags for 1,000 students
Logo featured on literacy activities for 1,000 students
Logo featured in emails
~10,000 subcribersLogo featured on WITS web pages
~82K website sessions a yearNominate a WITS Associates Board member
Partner With UsSchedule A Call
Book Believer
$15,000
Logo featured on t-shirts for 600 mentors and teachers
Logo featured on book bags for 1,000 students
Logo featured on literacy activities for 1,000 students
Logo featured in emails
~10,000 subcribersLogo featured on WITS web pages
~82K website sessions a yearNominate a WITS Associates Board member
Partner With UsSchedule A Call
Educator Enthusiast
$10,000
Name featured on book bags for 1,000 students
Name featured on literacy activities for 1,000 students
Name featured in emails
~10,000 subcribersName featured on WITS web pages
~82K website sessions a yearNominate a WITS Associates Board member
Partner With UsSchedule A Call
Classroom Champion
$5,000
Name featured in emails
~10,000 subcribersName featured on WITS web pages
~82K website sessions a yearNominate a WITS Associates Board member
Partner With UsSchedule A Call
More Ways to Give
Monthly Recurring Gift
As a monthly donor, you provide a reliable source of funding that drives long-term impact. To make a recurring donation, navigate to our donation form and set the frequency to “Monthly recurring donation”.
Make a Donation
Make a Donation in Someone's Honor
Making a donation in someone's honor or memory is a meaningful way to celebrate their life or significant milestones. After you fill out our donation form and enter your payment details, click the "Next" button. You can choose to donate in memory of someone or in honor of someone special. You can also send an eCard to the recipient of your choice.
Make a Donation
Purchase Books for the WITS Library
Purchasing books for our program library ensures students have access to age-appropriate books that reflect their diverse voices. This list has been curated by our team to meet the specific needs and interests of WITS students.
Purchase Books
Employee Matching Gifts
Many employers will sponsor matching gift programs and will match any charitable contributions or volunteer hours made by their employees. To find out if your company has a matching gift program, please enter your employer’s name in the form below.
Make a Donation
For check donations, please make payable to WITS and send to the following address: Working in the Schools: 160 N Franklin St, Ste 201, Chicago, IL 60606.
$100
funds our mission at WITS: we believe that literacy is the foundation on which all other learning develops.$250
adds books to the WITS Program Library so students can read high-interest books all school year.$500
provides one teacher with a book grant for their classroom library.$1,000
provides a classroom of students with books to take home for the summer.$2,500
powers a full year of one-on-one literacy mentorship for a student.$5,000
invests in WITS' expansion plan to double student reach, triple library grants, and deliver 50,00 books annually by 2030.
