By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
The Seattle Storm has launched Power Forward Readers, a year-round literacy initiative designed to keep children engaged with reading through community partnerships, library programs and expanded access to books.
The program officially launched this summer through partnerships with local library systems and community organizations, with a goal of reaching more than 8,000 students during the summer months alone. Additional programming is planned throughout the school year to encourage young readers and help prevent summer learning loss.
As part of the summer launch, the Storm is encouraging participation in the King County Library System and Kitsap Regional Library summer reading programs by offering Storm prizes and game experiences that celebrate children’s reading achievements. The organization is also partnering with Page Ahead to help build home libraries through fan book drives and book donations from the Storm and PEMCO, ensuring more children have books of their own.
“At the Seattle Storm, we believe every child deserves access to the tools and experiences that help them thrive. Power Forward Readers is about more than books; it’s about inspiring curiosity, building confidence, and creating memorable moments for families,” said Nate Silverman, chief commercial officer for the Seattle Storm. “We’re proud to partner with PEMCO to expand access to literacy resources while welcoming young readers and their families to experience the excitement of Storm basketball together.”
Hanifah Bellaluz, the Storm’s senior director of community, social impact and Force4Change, said the initiative reflects the organization’s longstanding commitment to serving the community beyond basketball. She said the program is supported through the Storm’s partnership with PEMCO Insurance, whose commitment to education and literacy aligns with the initiative’s goals.
“Literacy is one of the strongest foundations for future success. When kids develop confidence as readers early, it opens doors academically, socially, and eventually professionally,” said Bellaluz. “We also know that not every child has the same access to books or reading support, and that is why investing in literacy is so important to us.”
“We want every child to have the opportunity to discover the joy of reading and build the skills that will serve them throughout their lives,” added Bellaluz.
Although Power Forward Readers is just getting started, the Storm is already encouraged by the early response and looks forward to measuring the program’s long-term impact alongside its community partners.
“Even in these early stages, we have already seen tremendous enthusiasm from families, libraries, and educators who recognize how important access to books and positive reading experiences are for young people,” said Bellaluz. “Our goal is to build a program that grows alongside the communities we serve and create lasting impact year after year.”
Bellaluz said involving Storm players in the initiative will help inspire children to develop a lifelong love of reading.
“We often say, ‘If you can see it, you can be it.’ When young people see Storm players talking about books they enjoy, or reading with students in their community, it sends a powerful message that reading is something to celebrate,” said Bellaluz. “For many kids, especially ones who see themselves reflected in our players, those moments matter. They build confidence, spark curiosity, and help make reading feel fun and accessible rather than something that is only associated with school.”
Bellaluz said one of the biggest challenges many students face is limited access to books at home and opportunities to read consistently.
“Power Forward Readers addresses both challenges by partnering with organizations already doing outstanding work in our community,” said Bellaluz. “When children have books that they can choose from, and are encouraged to read every day, they are much more likely to build strong reading habits and confidence.”
Allison Leep, head of social impact at PEMCO, said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to encouraging children to read throughout the year.
“When young people see athletes they admire championing learning, it sends a powerful message that reading is an important part of reaching your goals,” said Leep. “We know many students can lose reading momentum when school is out. Power Forward Readers helps families keep that momentum going by connecting kids with books, literacy experiences, and a community that celebrates reading throughout the summer and into the school year.”
Looking ahead, the Storm hopes the initiative will continue expanding its reach while creating lasting improvements in youth literacy throughout the region.
“We hope to grow this program to reach more students every year through donations of books, community visits to libraries and schools, and fun initiatives encouraging kids to read,” said Bellaluz. “Working closely with our community partners to measure impact and adapt to meet students where they are, we aim to be part of the solution to help improve youth literacy rates in Seattle and beyond.”
