Why We Show Up

Reading, relationships, and access to healthy food are three things that shape whether a child can learn and grow. When schools, families, volunteers, and community partners work together on all three, more kids get what they need.

Education → Mentorship → Healthy Food Access →

The challenge, by the numbers

4 in 10
of U.S. 4th graders scored below basic reading in 2024, meaning many are still building core comprehension skills.
4th graders
Four in ten 4th graders below basic reading
49.1%
of Ohio students were proficient in reading in the 2024–2025 school year, based on Ohio State Test results.
State of Ohio, 49% proficient in reading
1 in 3
young people grows up without a mentor of any kind, missing the consistent adult presence that supports learning and confidence.
5×more likely
to struggle academically if a student comes from a food-insecure household, according to peer-reviewed research.

Reading is a challenge
in the U.S. and around the world.

United States
83%
of U.S. school districts saw reading scores decline between 2015 and 2025.
Researchers at Stanford, Harvard, and Dartmouth describe this as a learning recession, a long-term slump that predates the pandemic and continues through it.
National literacy infographic
Global
53
countries and economies saw average reading performance drop on PISA 2022.
The reading challenge is not just local. It is showing up in classrooms around the world.
Global literacy infographic
Mentor and student in school setting

About 1 in 3 young people grows up without a mentor.

1 in 3 young people

Sometimes what helps most is knowing there is one adult who keeps showing up. Research points to better attendance, stronger school connection, and better long-term outcomes when young people have that kind of support in their lives. Mentors are not there to replace teachers or teach every skill. They help create the trust and stability that make learning easier.

Students with a mentor have a higher likelihood of future success.

55%
more likely to enroll in college.
78%
more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities.
130%
more likely to hold a leadership position.
Without
With
+130%
“The Mentoring Effect,” MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, 2014. mentoring.org

Reliable access to healthy food is part of what makes learning possible.

When a child is hungry, learning is harder. Focus drops, participation lessens, and school can become more difficult to stay connected to. Research links food insecurity with lower academic performance, absenteeism, and other barriers to engagement. Healthy food access is part of school readiness, just like education and mentorship are.

Without access to healthy food:

5x
more likely to struggle academically
Lower GPAs
linked to food insecurity across multiple studies.
More missed school
and more behavioral challenges that limit learning.
Child with a healthy school meal

Why this work matters

+1.5–2
months of additional reading growth
When partnered with a mentor, students get more reading practice, guidance, and time building the skills that keep them moving forward.
Start of school year Without tutoring With tutoring
+1.5–2 months of growth
Students who worked with a trained community volunteer read at a higher level than their peers by year end.
20%
fewer absences
Students show up to school more consistently when paired with a mentor, which gives them more chances to stay connected to school and learning.
Without mentorship
MTWTF
✕
✕
✕
✕
✕
Harder to stay connected to school
→
With mentorship
MTWTF
✕
✕
Showing up more, staying connected
Better outcomes
in attendance, grades, and food insecurities
Reliable access to healthy food helps children focus, feel better during the day, and get more out of school.
Attendance
Before
After
Grades
Before
After
Food insecurities
Before
After
No individual percentages shown — the research points to consistent improvement across all three outcomes.

This is where Charleys Kids shows up.

CKF is involved in both sides of this work. It helps fund it, and it helps carry it out through reading support, student mentorship, and healthy food access.

2,500+
volunteer hours by CTI alone
30+
partner programs across the world
16
states with active programs

Here is what that work looks like.

Children’s Tutoring Initiative →
CTI provides in-school reading support for elementary students, working alongside schools and local organizations to help children build foundational literacy skills.
Leaders Arise →
Leaders Arise develops high school students into leaders by connecting them with elementary students, where they provide a consistent, caring presence that builds literacy skills and reading confidence.
Partner Programs →
We partner with schools and organizations across the U.S. and around the world to bring education, mentorship, and access to healthy food to children and communities.

It takes all of us.

The work happens because people show up in different ways. Here are three ways you can be part of it today.

View all the ways to help →
Volunteer →
Provide reading support for a student in a partner school. No teaching background needed.
Eat at Charleys →
10¢ from every combo meal at a participating Charleys supports our programs, mentorship, and kids in Charleys communities.
Buy a Book for a Student →
Purchase a book from our wishlist and put it directly in a student’s hands.

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