BYU Fans Raised Thousands for Fort Worth Literacy

The Cougs Care initiative partnered with a local nonprofit to support students in the Fort Worth Independent School District.

Updated on Oct. 3, 2026 in Philanthropy

Screen-print poster illustration featuring a stack of hardcover books and a bookmark, representing educational support and community literacy efforts. — BYU fans raised over $9,000 for Fort Worth literacy programs through the Cougs Care initiative, providing vital educational supplies to local students. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should fanbases incorporate charitable service projects into their college game-day experiences?

BYU fans collected more than $9,000 in donations during a tailgate event in Fort Worth to support Literacy United. The funds and collected items aim to assist students ranging from pre-K through high school.

Why it matters

The initiative seeks to address a literacy crisis within the local community, where only 40 percent of third graders currently read on grade level. This partnership leverages fan engagement to provide critical educational materials to students in need.

The effort serves a district where 40% of third graders read on grade level. Literacy United manages these donations with a team of approximately 25 staff members.

The players

Literacy United

This nonprofit organization provides educational support to students from pre-K through high school.

Kary Johnson

Kary Johnson is the founder of the Literacy United nonprofit.

Cougs Care

This fan-driven initiative coordinates donation drives at athletic events to support local communities.

The details

Cougs Care collaborated with Literacy United to organize an Amazon wish list featuring books, games, and teaching tools alongside in-person donations. The effort aims to provide essential resources to students across the Fort Worth Independent School District.

Literacy United was founded in December 2011.
The Cougs Care initiative began in 2019.
Fans collected more than $9,000 in donations on October 2, 2026.
Additional donations were scheduled for collection on October 3, 2026.

Market Landscape

This event reflects the expansion of the 2019 Cougs Care humanitarian initiative model into new regional markets. It demonstrates how fan-based philanthropic organizations are scaling their operations to compete for charitable impact alongside traditional local non-profits.

Residents and fans can support local students by contributing books, games, or financial gifts through the Literacy United Amazon wish list. These contributions directly provide teaching materials to schools struggling with district-wide literacy benchmarks.

The takeaway

Engaging large crowds at sporting events can serve as a highly effective conduit for targeted local philanthropy. Supporters looking to assist can focus on specific teacher-requested items to ensure their donations have an immediate impact in the classroom.