BYU and TCU Fans Raise Over $9,000 for Fort Worth Literacy United Initiative
Ahead of Saturday’s football matchup, BYU and TCU fans raised more than $9,000 in donations for Literacy United at a Friday tailgate hosted at the Josey Ranch Athletic Complex. According to tcu360.com, the Cougs Care initiative partnered with the Fort Worth nonprofit and the TCU College of Education to support reading programs for struggling students in the area. Organizers collected in-person book donations alongside online contributions through the organization’s Amazon wish list.
Addressing the Fort Worth Literacy Crisis With Community Service Tailgates
The fundraising effort targets a stark educational deficit across the region. Kary Johnson, founder and executive director of Literacy United, stated that barely 40% of third graders in the Fort Worth Independent School District read on grade level. Findings from the Education Scorecard reveal that Fort Worth ISD’s learning rate ranked among the weakest nationwide between 2022 and 2025. Johnson emphasized that overcoming this deficit requires community-wide collaboration.
The BYU Alumni Association launched Cougs Care in 2019 during a game at Tennessee, transforming pre-game tailgates into service drives for local charities. Tyson Oblad, president of the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of the BYU Alumni Association, noted that service has eclipsed the game itself as the primary focus of traveling fans. Last season, the broader initiative scaled significantly, with participants donating more than 76,500 pounds of food, 7,000 books, 800 coats, and 350 pairs of shoes while attendance doubled to 26,500 people.
Expanding After-School Reading Programs and Classroom Resources
Literacy United operates out of Fort Worth to serve families unable to afford private reading intervention. Founded in December 2011 by Johnson, a 1999 TCU graduate who previously ran a private clinic near campus, the nonprofit provides academic evaluations, treatment plans, and one-on-one instruction for students from pre-K through high school. The organization now deploys roughly 25 staff members—mostly part-time reading specialists—into after-school programs across local school districts and community centers like Hope Farm and the Boys & Girls Club.
The partnership with Cougs Care provided an unexpected influx of educational supplies as the nonprofit expands its reach. Johnson described arriving at the clinic as feeling like Christmas after receiving teaching materials, reading games, and books generated through the newly established Amazon wish list. Additional donations will be collected outside Amon G. Carter Stadium from 4 to 6 p.m.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Cougs Care Partnership
How much money did BYU and TCU fans raise during the Friday event?
Fans raised more than $9,000 in donations, which included physical book contributions and online gifts purchased through Literacy United’s Amazon wish list at the Josey Ranch Athletic Complex.
What specific local challenges prompted this partnership?
Literacy United founder Kary Johnson pointed out that barely 40% of third graders in the Fort Worth Independent School District read on grade level, backed by Education Scorecard data showing weak learning rates between 2022 and 2025.
Where can attendees drop off additional donations on Saturday?
Supporters can bring books and supplies to the TCU College of Education’s tailgate outside Amon G. Carter Stadium from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday.
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