February 2026 Newsletter
A Strong Start to The School Year
As we reach the midpoint of the school year, we are proud to share the impact your support is making across California and Hawai‘i! So far, 5,825 students and family members at 40 partner schools have read an incredible 1,233,656 minutes and explored 239,797 books. Together, they are building strong literacy habits and growing their confidence as readers.
We are especially excited to celebrate the 870 students who have earned Super Reader recognition so far! To earn the Super Reader badge, the student must read at least 180 minutes a month or read 3 times a week on their digital library. This helps reinforce that reading is indeed a routine that families can enjoy together!
Thank you for making this progress possible and for standing with us as we continue the work ahead.
A Mission Moment 💜📚
Sharing real stories from the families and schools at the heart of our work.
At Nāʻālehu Elementary’s ʻOhana Literacy Night, Book Coach Val witnessed a powerful reminder that literacy is a family journey. A family shared that while grandpa had not previously engaged in reading with his grandchildren, everything changed when they discovered the Epic Library’s ‘Read-to-Me’ feature on the Always Reading tablet. Curiosity turned into connection as he began reading alongside the children and joining in their excitement.
Moments like these reflect the heart of our work: creating access, building confidence, and strengthening bonds through the joy of reading.
2026 Always Dream Annual Galas
Celebrating 30 Years of Stories That Inspire
This year, we are proud to celebrate 30 Years of Stories That Inspire and hope you will join us at one of our 2026 galas. Our Dream Gala will take place on Saturday, April 25 at the Pacific Club, followed by our San Francisco Gala on Saturday, October 24 at the Palace Hotel.
At both celebrations, we will honor our co-founder Dean Osaki as our Dream Maker, recognizing his vision and dedication to expanding access to books for children and families. We look forward to gathering our community to celebrate this milestone year together!
Hawai’i Dream Gala Sponsorships Available (https://paybee.io/in-person-event/alwaysdream/5)
San Francisco Gala Sponsorships Available (https://paybee.io/in-person-event/alwaysdream/6)
Hawai’i Dream Gala Sponsorships Available (https://paybee.io/in-person-event/alwaysdream/5)
San Francisco Gala Sponsorships Available (https://paybee.io/in-person-event/alwaysdream/6)
Follow us on social media as we share more of these stories throughout the year!
Growing Together
Earlier this month, our team gathered for Always Dream’s first in person retreat, bringing together professional development and intentional team building in one meaningful experience. For some, it was the first time meeting face to face after years of virtual collaboration!
We are deeply grateful to Fremont Bank Foundation, Southwest Airlines, and the Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation CARE Fund for investing in our team. Their support makes it possible for us to grow together so we can better serve our school and family partners.
Always Dream in The Community
Save the date for our 4th Annual Kristi Yamaguchi Family Literacy Festival on Saturday, September 5 at the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose. This family friendly celebration brings together books, hands-on activities, and community partners to inspire a love of reading in children of all ages. We hope you will join us for a joyful day dedicated to community, literacy, and learning. More info to come – stay tuned!
Always Dream in The News
🎙️ Kristi on Flame Bearers – Making It To Milan Podcast: Kristi talks with fellow Olympian and figure skater Ashley Cain about Always Dream, creating impact, and what comes after competition. Watch on Youtube (https://youtu.be/35DJ3M0gAwE) or listen on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/episode/4HDa8JILMH4vdZL3IYvygt) or Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kristi-yamaguchi-be-a-champion-in-life/id1526192273?i=1000751355985) .
📑 Always Dream featured in the USA Today Winter Olympics Preview (https://usatodayspecial-va.newsmemory.com/?special=Winter+Olympics+Preview&date=20260128&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnPEabJNcbVeD4h_LS-O-Uw4Evo1Tie2eVII6u2VWMj0P_5sFzdoIJHFcYsoM_aem_zPCtm99carzb_4xScE1PQg) : flip to page 5 to see!
🗞️ Yamaguchi’s nonprofit helps keiki at five island schools (https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2026/02/13/community/yamaguchis-nonprofit-helps-keiki-at-five-island-schools/?fbclid=IwY2xjawP8355leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFhOG1JQ2hpaVY1YlBFcXhlc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHh9AXNLFCsMmSTRYaFGFpLyWQrCcQMa6b0BxEpPipuduOmov0P5Fop6qL-5E_aem_VVDSCJErDlWnKJisRkYyQw&utm_campaign=mrf-facebook-hth&mrfcid=20260213698f78c8a4e175754f191aa6) : Kristi’s legacy lives both on and off the ice, spanning to Hawaiʻi Island where we have five partner schools this year.
https://www.classy.org/give/460574/#!/donation/checkout
http://alwaysdream.org
http://instagram.com/alwaysdream
http://linkedin.com/company/alwaysdream
http://facebook.com/alwaysdreamorg
http://youtube.com/@kristiyamaguchisalwaysdream
http://instagram.com/alwaysdream
http://linkedin.com/company/alwaysdream
http://facebook.com/alwaysdreamorg
http://youtube.com/@kristiyamaguchisalwaysdream
This email was sent to (mailto:)