The Bill and Crissy Haslam Foundation Partners with Thrive to Launch Transformative Summer Literacy Program in Knoxville
Thrive is proud to announce a new partnership with the Bill and Crissy Haslam Foundation to provide a transformative summer literacy program aimed at enriching the educational experiences of Knoxville’s most at-risk youth. The initiative, launched during Thrive’s Summer Program across its five Knoxville sites, is designed to combat the “summer slide” and foster a lifelong love of reading and learning.
This strategic partnership reflects a shared commitment to ensuring all children—regardless of background—have access to the tools they need to succeed. By integrating targeted literacy support into Thrive’s existing summer programming, the initiative will help close educational gaps and elevate academic outcomes for hundreds of students.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Bill and Crissy Haslam Foundation for investing in the future of our youth,” said Clayton Wood, Executive Director of Thrive. “This partnership is more than a summer enrichment program, it’s a step toward transforming literacy and education for children who need it most.”
The literacy initiative includes evidence-based instruction, one-on-one reading support, and engaging activities that build confidence and skills in young readers. By embedding this program into Thrive’s broader efforts—which already provide spiritual, academic, and emotional support—the summer experience becomes even more impactful.
“We are thankful to Thrive for partnering with us this summer to make sure students have access to instruction based on the science of reading,” said Crissy Haslam, former First Lady of Tennessee. “Thrive is thinking critically about how best to use outside-of-school time to ensure students who are furthest behind receive access to literacy instruction that we know works. We are so thankful for their leadership and look forward to learning more this summer.”
This generous gift from the BCH Foundation will directly impact children in neighborhoods where educational resources can be scarce, providing not only academic enrichment, but also hope, confidence, and opportunity.
For more information about Thrive or to support this initiative, visit www.HelpUsThrive.com.
About Thrive
Thrive connects caring adults with at-risk youth through gospel-centered relationships. We partner with communities to pursue spiritual, emotional, academic, and physical wholeness through our three main programs: Thrive After School, Thrive Summer, and Mentoring.
Learn more about Thrive and our work in Knoxville at www.HelpUsThrive.com
