We’ve spent the last eight years developing, testing and implementing our training, program and scaling models and impacting thousands of diverse participants in urban and suburban settings in the process. Our evaluations and observations tell us we are ready to expand both deeply here in New York and broadly around the world.

While our community and program partners cover 88% of program costs and fund 75% of our remote pilot work, we depend on our communities and the general public to help us build the infrastructure necessary to strengthen our foundation for growth across all of our programs and in particular our expansion into low income communities. For each community, short term investments yield long term benefits as our communities are self-sustaining, growing and supporting new communities within three years. And for every dollar you invest in our work, our partners invest over $8, yielding a pretty good return on your investment in the greater good.

Your funding will be distributed to support the following three critical initiatives:

1. Strengthen the foundation for our Bridged Diverse Communities to help ensure every child is empowered to directly impact a life for the better;
2. Build Technology Systems to enable us to scale our programs more broadly;
3. Develop a Longitudinal Study of our impact.

100% of your investment will empower young people to become catalysts for excellence in eldercare.

For every Sweet Reader, Young Leader, Care Partner or Adult with AD you support with your investment in Sweet Readers, you are impacting entire communities of educators, administrators, artists, scientists, peers, friends and families who, as vital stakeholders in our community building process, also benefit from our work.

When you invest in Sweet Readers, accomplish ten great things at once!

1. You empower Young People to immediately and directly impact a life for the better;
2. You empower Young People to become empathic, adaptable collaborators and creative problem solvers;
3. You empower adults with Alzheimer’s to impact a life for the better;
4. You give purpose, joy and community to adults struggling with the isolating and disorientating effects of Alzheimer’s and related disorders;
5. You give respite and communities of support to both paid and unpaid care partners;
6. You give purpose, fulfillment and joy to the artists, art educators, teachers, administrators and Young Leaders who facilitate our programs;
7. You help science and scientists by giving our youth the opportunity to understand and experience the science of Alzheimer’s and ignite a passion for science;
8. You help scientists by providing an immediate, cost effective intervention which may buy people time while scientists race for cures and breakthroughs.
9. You help the arts by creating empowering new ways for Young People to appreciate and engage with the arts in and out of museum settings.
10. You help people across generations, genders, socioeconomics, cultures and political orientation find common ground and work together for the greater good.

Thank you for being a part of our movement for change.

 

1. Everyone deserves the opportunity to impact a life for the better.
2. In the process of responding to the immediate Alzheimer’s care crisis, we can change the course and outcomes for the way young people think, communicate and effect positive change in our communities and the larger world.
3. Young People have the remarkable ability to light up a life and become catalysts for change. Older people can do that for younger people too!
4. People may not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel.
5. Sometimes all you have to do is lean in and listen.
6. Empathy, Confidence, Character, Purpose and Fulfillment flourish with when you allow yourself to open your heart, take a risk, overcome challenges and impact a life for the better; especially when the life is that of a vulnerable person in need of your help.
7. When communities come together through common ground, systemic change becomes possible.
8. The collaboration and integration of diverse perspectives opens minds and possibilities.