2026-05-06T11:58:24-04:00 2025-06-30 364538293 LUDWIG KLEWER & RUDNER PLLC 4783 E CAMP LOWELL DR TUCSON AZ 85712 990 2024-07-01 237047508 LITERACY CONNECTS LITE 5208828006 200 E YAVAPAI ROAD TUCSON AZ 85705 SHARON O'BRIEN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 5208828006 2026-05-06 false JULIE S KLEWER CPA P00343046 5205450500 2026-05-06 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z MELINDA BURKE 200 E YAVAPAI RD TUCSON AZ 85705 3239922 false X WWW.LITERACYCONNECTS.ORG X 1969 AZ CONNECTING PEOPLE OF ALL AGES TO A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH LITERACY AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION. 17 17 52 482 0 3146682 2811994 18328 382360 46092 12271 -105586 -54543 3105516 3152082 0 0 2191123 2470757 20850 67687 679162 845049 767267 3057022 3305711 48494 -153629 4037924 4492776 137407 184504 3900517 4308272 X CONNECTING PEOPLE OF ALL AGES TO A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH LITERACY AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION. false false 982907 152944 THE ADULT AND WORKFORCE EDUCATION PROGRAM LITERACY CONNECTS TRAIN AND SUPPORT VOLUNTEERS TO TUTOR ADULT STUDENTS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION, BASIC LITERACY, DIGITAL SKILLS, HIGH-SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY CERTIFICATION ATTAINMENT, WORKPLACE READINESS, AND CAREER PROMOTIONS. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, 354 VOLUNTEERS GAVE MORE THAN 46,672 HOURS TO INSTRUCT 3,532 ADULT LEARNERS, AT NO CHARGE TO THE LEARNERS, IN CLASSES AND THROUGH 1:1 TUTORING FACILITATED VIA ZOOM AND IN PERSON. 614317 95590 STORIES THAT SOAR IS A LITERACY AND ARTS INTEGRATION PROGRAM THAT PROMOTES WRITING, COLLABORATION, AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION THROUGH INTERACTIVE PROFESSIONAL THEATRE, IN-SCHOOL AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL K-12 PROGRAMMING, AND EDUCATOR TRAINING WORKSHOPS. PROGRAMMING IS DELIVERED THROUGH DIRECT SERVICE AND VIA THE LICENSING OF COPYWRITTEN CURRICULUM. THIS FISCAL YEAR, 6,944 CHILDREN AND 699 EDUCATORS WERE IMPACTED THROUGH STORIES THAT SOAR. 491453 76472 LITERACY CONNECTS' READING SEED IS AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM THAT HELPS KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 2ND GRADERS ADVANCE THEIR ASSESSED LITERACY SKILLS THROUGH ONCE A WEEK, ONE-TO-ONE, COACHING FROM TRAINED VOLUNTEERS FOR A MINIMUM OF 16 WEEKS. AT EACH SESSION, STUDENTS SELECT A FREE, HIGH-QUALITY BOOK TO BUILD THEIR HOME LIBRARIES. READING SEED OPERATES THREE MODELS: "REFERRAL" FOR STUDENTS WITH HIGHEST NEED, THE "LOOP" WHERE STUDENTS ARE MATCHED WITH THEIR COACH FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS, AND "CTE" WHERE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH CAREER INTERESTS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION ARE TRAINED AS COACHES. DATA ON THE "LOOP" SHOWS STUDENTS WITH TWO YEARS OF READING SEED ARE TWICE AS LIKELY AS THEIR NON-READING SEED COUNTERPARTS TO REACH 3RD GRADE READING PROFICIENCY. THIS FISCAL YEAR, 279 VOLUNTEERS WORKED WITH 867 STUDENTS. 21,133 FREE BOOKS WERE DISTRIBUTED. 368590 57354 REACH OUT AND READ SOUTHERN ARIZONA (RORSA) PROMOTES HEALTHY BRAIN GROWTH, POSITIVE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND SCHOOL READINESS BY GIVING FAMILIES RESOURCES AND INFORMATION TO MAKE READING ALOUD PART OF THEIR DAILY ROUTINE. BY INTEGRATING READING INTO PEDIATRIC PRACTICES, RQRSA PARTNERS WITH DOCTORS IN 58 CLINICS, REACHING 85,710 CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO FIVE. 368590 57354 2457267 true true false false false false false false false true true false false true false true true false false false false false false true true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true 35 0 true 52 true false false false false false false false false false false false false false X 17 17 false false false false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true false false X X X SHARON O'BRIEN 5208828006 200 E YAVAPAI ROAD 200 E YAVAPAI ROAD TUCSON AZ 85705 DANIEL SMALL FINANCE/OPS 40.00 X 73625 0 2417 SHARON O'BRIEN EXECUTIVE DI 40.00 X 100127 0 39109 MELINDA BURKE BOARD CHAIR 0.89 X X 0 0 0 KIM EGITA TREASURER 0.50 X X 0 0 0 CHRIS GUTIERREZ SECRETARY 0.24 X X 0 0 0 AMY BEITER PAST BOARD C 0.55 X 0 0 0 SUNNY BAE MEMBER 0.19 X 0 0 0 SARA HABIB MEMBER 0.62 X 0 0 0 JEANINE TRACEY MEMBER 0.35 X 0 0 0 KRISTEL FOSTER MEMBER 0.24 X 0 0 0 JAYMIE JACOBS MEMBER 0.23 X 0 0 0 MARISSA ALCORTA MEMBER 0.17 X 0 0 0 SEAN FEENY MEMBER 0.60 X 0 0 0 ROSEANNE LOPEZ MEMBER 0.33 X 0 0 0 JAMIEL ALLEN MEMBER 0.21 X 0 0 0 THERESA RICKE-KIELY MEMBER 0.37 X 0 0 0 ANDRES CANO MEMBER 0.10 X 0 0 0 MATT KOPEC MEMBER 0.18 X 0 0 0 ROCQUE PEREZ MEMBER 0.23 X 0 0 0 173752 41526 1 false false false 103946 173172 2534876 2811994 PROGRAM SERVICES FEES 611710 382360 382360 382360 12271 12271 32487 103946 87840 -55353 -55353 900099 810 810 810 3152082 382360 -42272 213135 142940 70195 1851430 1412166 22635 416629 44629 32077 3660 8892 183987 142631 4113 37243 177576 135703 6038 35835 97853 97853 5784 5784 36530 36530 67687 67687 62207 62207 47766 36503 1624 9639 206588 157875 7024 41689 47585 36364 1618 9603 32397 24758 1101 6538 65827 50305 2238 13284 43968 33600 1495 8873 LIBRARY PURCHASES 78316 59849 2663 15804 PROGRAM SUPPLIES 19303 14751 656 3896 DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS 13906 10627 473 2806 TRAINING AND TUTORS 7111 5434 1435 242 2126 1624 502 3305711 2457267 169282 679162 132175 545608 1053549 567636 656079 1240909 53462 45094 84180 23250 2237321 586938 1670499 1650383 30000 30000 13680 16964 344300 372932 4037924 4492776 137407 184504 137407 184504 X 2756075 2707128 1144442 1601144 3900517 4308272 4037924 4492776 X -153629 72 529457 31855 X false true X true false X 2303292 2352216 3506249 3146682 2811994 14120433 2303292 2352216 3506249 3146682 2811994 14120433 938755 13181678 5670 4979 14417 41533 12271 78870 110752 30272 7814 18755 32487 200080 14399383 433905 0.91540 0.90670 X PART II, LINE 10 OTHER 200,080 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 341076 500000 31929 873005 323853 1000 16223 341076 308204 1000 14649 323853 275129 51432 -18357 308204 210136 9821 55172 275129 0.99000 0.01000 false false 91690 91690 1761266 350945 1410321 59980 8994 50986 121213 114512 6701 203172 112487 90685 1650383 INTEREST IN FUNDS HELD BY OTHERS 372932 372932 X 4034942 72 882788 882860 3152082 3152082 4156644 850933 850933 3305711 3305711 SCHEDULE D, PAGE 2, PART V, LINE 4 THE ORGANIZATION'S ENDOWMENT CONSISTS OF TWO FUNDS, ONE OF WHICH IS DESIGNATED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO FUNCTION AS AN ENDOWMENT TO SUPPORT GENERAL OPERATIONS. INCOME FROM THIS ENDOWMENT MAY BE USED AT THE BOARD'S DISCRETION. THE OTHER FUND IS A PERMANENTLY RESTRICTED, DONOR-DESIGNATED ENDOWMENT FUND. SCHEDULE D, PAGE 3, PART X THE ORGANIZATION'S POLICY IS TO DISCLOSE OR RECOGNIZE INCOME TAX POSITIONS BASED ON MANAGEMENT'S ESTIMATE OF WHETHER IT IS REASONABLY POSSIBLE OR PROBABLE, RESPECTIVELY, THAT A LIABILITY HAS BEEN INCURRED FOR UNRECOGNIZED INCOME TAX POSITIONS. AS OF JUNE 30, 2025, MANAGEMENT IS NOT AWARE OF ANY UNCERTAIN TAX POSITIONS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY MATERIAL. IN ADDITION, MANAGEMENT IS NOT AWARE OF ANY MATTERS WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE ORGANIZATION TO LOSE ITS TAX-EXEMPT STATUS. SCHEDULE D, PAGE 4, PART XI, LINE 2D CHANGE IN VALUE OF BENEFICAL TRUST 31,855 IN-KIND SERVICES 763,093 SPECIAL EVENT EXPENSE 87,840 SCHEDULE D, PAGE 4, PART XII, LINE 2D SPECIAL EVENT EXPENSE 87,840 IN-KIND SERVICES 763,093 X X X X X X false ANNUAL EVENT 136433 103946 32487 87840 136433 103946 32487 87840 87840 -55353 FORM 990, PAGE 1, PART I, LINE 6 THE STATEMENT OF FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES IS PREPARED ON THE GAAP BASIS AND THEREFORE FAILS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE VALUE OF VOLUNTEER LABOR. PROGRAM EXPENSES ARE KEPT VERY LOW DUE TO THE ORGANIZATION'S USE OF VOLUNTEERS TO DELIVER MOST OF THE PROGRAM'S TEACHING. VOLUNTEERS GAVE OVER 26,208 TEACHING AND PREPARATION HOURS DURING THE YEAR. THE INDEPENDENT SECTOR HAS SET 30.13 PER HOUR AS THE VALUE FOR VOLUNTEER HOURS IN ARIZONA. THIS MEANS THE WORK DONE BY VOLUNTEERS WAS WORTH APPROXIMATELY 789,664. FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III, LINE 4C LITERACY CONNECTS' READING SEED IS AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM THAT HELPS KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 2ND GRADERS ADVANCE THEIR ASSESSED LITERACY SKILLS THROUGH ONCE A WEEK, ONE-TO-ONE, COACHING FROM TRAINED VOLUNTEERS FOR A MINIMUM OF 16 WEEKS. AT EACH SESSION, STUDENTS SELECT A FREE, HIGH-QUALITY BOOK TO BUILD THEIR HOME LIBRARIES. READING SEED OPERATES THREE MODELS: "REFERRAL" FOR STUDENTS WITH HIGHEST NEED, THE "LOOP" WHERE STUDENTS ARE MATCHED WITH THEIR COACH FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS, AND "CTE" WHERE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH CAREER INTERESTS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION ARE TRAINED AS COACHES. DATA ON THE "LOOP" SHOWS STUDENTS WITH TWO YEARS OF READING SEED ARE TWICE AS LIKELY AS THEIR NON-READING SEED COUNTERPARTS TO REACH 3RD GRADE READING PROFICIENCY. THIS FISCAL YEAR, 279 VOLUNTEERS WORKED WITH 867 STUDENTS. 21,133 FREE BOOKS WERE DISTRIBUTED. FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III, LINE 4D REACH OUT AND READ SOUTHERN ARIZONA (RORSA) PROMOTES HEALTHY BRAIN GROWTH, POSITIVE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND SCHOOL READINESS BY GIVING FAMILIES RESOURCES AND INFORMATION TO MAKE READING ALOUD PART OF THEIR DAILY ROUTINE. BY INTEGRATING READING INTO PEDIATRIC PRACTICES, RQRSA PARTNERS WITH DOCTORS IN 58 CLINICS, REACHING 85,710 CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO FIVE. FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 11B THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED A DRAFT OF THE FORM 990 TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRIOR TO FILING. THE RETURN WAS REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PRIOR TO FILING. FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 12C THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY IS DISCUSSED AND SIGNED BY THE BOARD EACH YEAR. FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 15A ON AN ANNUAL BASIS THE BOARD REVIEWS SALARY COMPARABILITY DATA WHEN SETTING COMPENSATION FOR THE ORGANIZATION'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. THE DECISION PROCESS IS DOCUMENTED IN THE BOARD MINUTES. FORM 990, PAGE 6, PART VI, LINE 19 THE ANNUAL RETURN IS AVAILABLE ON GUIDESTAR.ORG AND APPLICABLE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. FORM 990, PART XI, LINE 9 CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN FUNDS 31,855