In a changing world with limited positive options of possible after school activities for children in early elementary grades, Troy is home to a unique asset that gives hope to children who are struggling with reading. Reading for Change is an exciting new program begun this year by Troy natives, Ethan and Ali Martin. Among the bustle of Christmas and numerous responsibilities at the end of a semester, the Martins and their volunteer staff are celebrating a successful first semester and building momentum for the coming year.

Ali Arbogast Martin grew up in Troy, attended Troy Christian Schools, and discovered a passion for teaching early childhood education while she worked as a student teacher in inner city Cincinnati. Now married and nearing the end of her first pregnancy, Ali and her husband Ethan had vision for a safe place where children who come from lower income families could go after school and receive personalized tutoring. Reading for Change began accepting students in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades on Mondays and Wednesdays in August. When they began, the met at the soup kitchen where the children would also receive meals as a part of the soup kitchen’s mission.

Reading for Change just moved and currently has 16 students that meet at their new location on the corner of East Main Street and Mulberry Street in the Historic District of downtown Troy, next to K’s Hamburgers. Now within walking distance from Kyle and Forest Elementary Schools, RFC hopes to continue to grow their programs to include more students. “Our location is significant because we believe that by being located in the downtown of Troy, we can foster a deeper sense of community for our students,” Ali said. “Our location welcomes local leaders and community members to see what is going on at RFC and find ways to get involved.”

Martins have been blown away and excited by the support that they have received from the community so far. They have been funded completely by individual donors who believe in the mission of the organization. “Our motto is ‘Today a reader. Tomorrow a leader,’” Ali said. “It’s incredible the improvement we’ve seen already.” The Martins have heard from teachers at Troy city schools who have experienced a marked contrast in the reading capacity of the students attending their programs. Through her experiences and research, Ali has refined and combined methods from several literacy schools to find the best possible techniques to reach each child.

Teachers from all over Miami County who are either still actively teaching or retired have come alongside the Martins to help facilitate the mission of RFC. Martins have had the volunteer help of women like Debbie Showalter, Sandy Lutz, Ellen Hayden, Debbie Barkett, and Carla Klosterman since the inception of RFC in August. Schools like Troy Christian and Russia Elementary schools have donated books and supplies. Local churches like Koinas have opened their facilities for a Christmas party for the children. Although the organization does not have its 501c3 license yet, RFC has already received an overwhelmingly positive response from the people of Troy. The Martins are hopeful that their official non-profit status will be processed by January of 2016.

“God has really taken care of us,” Ali said. “It’s been amazing to see how much people believe in what we’re doing here. We want to continue to partner with the community to see students succeed. This is what we’re all about and we’re excited to see what the New Year holds for us and for these precious kids.”