Friends of Andersonville

08/12/2026

We are set up and ready to go! We hope you come on out to our final check-in for the 2026 Summer Reading Program!

08/10/2026

Dear Summer Readers & Families,

Can you believe we’ve reached our FINAL Summer Reading Check-In?! You have spent the summer reading, discovering new stories, and showing us just how much you love books!

Join us this Wednesday from 4:00–6:30 PM at the Andersonville Farmers Market for our final check-in and celebration. We’ll be there to celebrate YOU and all the reading you’ve done this summer!

IMPORTANT LOCATION CHANGE!

Please meet us at the Andersonville Farmers Market— the corner of Clark St. & WInona, NOT outside Women & Children First. We’ll be set up at the market and ready to celebrate our amazing summer readers!

Thank you for making this summer such a wonderful celebration of reading. We are so proud of all of you and hope you keep turning those pages long after the summer ends!

See you Wednesday!

08/03/2026

Hello Readers!

We’re looking forward to seeing you all on Wednesday, August 5th with your reading journals. We hope you all like ice cream! 😉

07/21/2026

Hey Friends of Andersonville!

Tomorrow's the day we celebrate all the fantastic reads from this week!

Not only will you be receiving your well-deserved book gift certificate, but we've also got a special certificate from *Play toy store.

Come share your favorite book from this week. We can’t wait to see you there and hear about the stories that captivated you!

Happy reading, and see you tomorrow!

07/14/2026

He Readers! We'll see you this Wednesday from 4:00–6:30 PM for our weekly check-in!

We can't wait to hear what you've been reading this week and see what you've been writing in your journals. Every check-in is a chance to share, celebrate your progress, and get inspired by fellow readers.

This week, we'll be handing out $5 Friends of Andersonville Reading Gift Certificates and $5 Forever Yogurt certificates—because every great reading streak deserves a tasty reward!

07/08/2026

Kicking off the 2026 Summer Reading Program!

06/17/2026

Hello Andersonville!

We are excited to announce that registration is now OPEN for the 2026 Friends of Andersonville Summer Reading Program!

Before we begin, we want to extend a huge THANK YOU to all of our Friends of Andersonville volunteers who worked the beverage tent during Midsommarfest. Your time, energy, and hard work made a tremendous difference. Without your support, this free summer reading program for neighborhood children simply would not exist. We are incredibly grateful for your commitment to literacy and our community.

Whether your child will be entering kindergarten this fall or has just graduated from 8th grade, we would love to have them join us this summer.

For families who may be new to the program, Friends of Andersonville created the Summer Reading Program to encourage children to keep reading during the summer months and help prevent the "summer literacy slump" (sometimes called the "summer slide"). Research shows that students can lose one to two months of reading progress over summer break, and those losses can add up over time. Our goal is to keep kids excited about reading while celebrating their hard work and accomplishments.

How does the program work? Each week, participating readers log their reading and earn opportunities to receive gift certificates purchased from local Andersonville businesses. Not only does this reward children for their efforts, but it also supports the wonderful local businesses that make our neighborhood special. Last summer alone, Friends of Andersonville rewarded readers with more than $9,500 in gift certificates purchased from local businesses!

This year's program will run from Wednesday, July 8th through Wednesday, August 12th. We look forward to another summer filled with great books, exciting discussions, and plenty of opportunities to celebrate reading.

If your family has participated in the program before, we invite you to help us spread the word! Please share the registration link with friends, neighbors, classmates, and other families who you think would enjoy being part of our summer reading community.

Thank you for helping us make reading a fun and meaningful part of summer. We can't wait to see returning readers and welcome new families to the program!

Welcome! Thank you for joining the Friends of Andersonville Summer Reading Program. The program starts on Wednesday July 8, 2026 and runs through Wednesday, August 12th. (CPS returns to school Wednesday, Aug. 24th) Our tent will be located outside of Women & Children First Bookstore (5233 N. Clark S...

07/30/2025

Despite the rain, we are still checking kids in this week for Friends of Andersonville! Stop at our tent outside and will send you on in Women and Children First where our volunteers will be waiting to check your reading journals and reward you with this week’s prizes. Hope you all like Forever Yogurt Andersonville!

07/09/2025

Friends of Andersonville’s 2025 Summer Reading Program starts today!

We’re looking forward to a summer full of reading!

06/10/2025

Hello Readers!

Registration is open for the Friends of Andersonville 2025 Summer Reading Program!

Keep your kids reading all summer long and earn fun rewards from local favorites and more!

Who: Students entering K this fall – 2025 8th grade graduates in the Andersonville/Edgewater area.

When: Wednesdays, July 9–August 13 Drop by anytime 4:00–6:30pm at our Friends of Andersonville tent at Clark & Farragut

Please share the attached flyer with other neighborhood families you think may enjoy the program!