Tandem Partners in Early Learning: The First Books That Change Everything

Since 2003, Tandem has served 100,000+ Bay Area children ages 0-5 with early literacy programs. Here's why the first books matter most — and how to give them with photo proof.

Fewer than half of Bay Area children arrive at kindergarten with the early literacy, critical thinking, and social-emotional skills they need to succeed. For children from low-income families, that number is lower still — not because these children are less capable, but because the books, shared reading experiences, and early learning interactions that build brain architecture in the first five years of life are unequally distributed. Tandem, Partners in Early Learning has worked on this problem since 2003. By partnering with childcare providers, school districts, and community organizations, Tandem surrounds children ages 0–5 with high-quality, multilingual books and gives their caregivers the tools to use them — building the early learning foundation that determines school readiness and, downstream, life outcomes. Givelink, a Transparent Giving Platform that connects donors to verified U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofits with photo proof of delivery, partners with Tandem to connect donors who want to give the first books that matter most. Here is the full picture.

Key Takeaways

• Tandem has served 100,000+ Bay Area children ages 0-5 since 2003 (Tandem data, 2025).
• Each child rotates up to 100 books per year through Tandem's StoryCycles program.
• Multilingual books are a specific priority — Bay Area families speak dozens of languages at home.
• MacKenzie Scott donated $46M to Bay Area nonprofits including Tandem in 2024 — a signal of the organization's impact.
• Givelink donors give 60% more times per year than traditional platform donors (Givelink data, 2026).

What Tandem does — and why the first years are irreversible

The research on early brain development is clear and decades-old: 90% of brain development occurs in the first five years of life. The interactions a child has with language, books, and engaged caregivers during this window build the neural architecture that determines how easily they will learn to read, regulate emotions, and engage with school.

Tandem works at this window with three approaches: providing age-appropriate multilingual children's books directly to children (through StoryCycles and the Read and Play Club), training educators and family support professionals in early learning techniques, and building a community-wide commitment to early childhood development.

Children who can't access books at home because their families can't afford them, or who speak languages that the mainstream education system under-serves, are the children Tandem specifically reaches.

"Real needs. Real proof. Real connection."

A donor who gives multilingual picture books to Tandem sends something to a child who will sit with a caregiver and point at a page for the first time. The photo confirms the books arrived. That exchange — finger on page, voice naming the image — is the beginning of literacy.

What Tandem needs from donors right now

Program	Items Needed	Who They Reach
StoryCycles	Age-appropriate picture books (all languages)	Children ages 0-5 in partner programs
Read and Play Club	Board books, bilingual books, parent guides	Families with infants and toddlers
Professional Development	Printed materials, educator notebooks	Childcare providers and family educators
General Programs	Crayons, play materials, activity sets	Children in Tandem partner sites

Why this matters in 2026

California's transitional kindergarten expansion has brought more children into the formal early education system at age 4 — but the 0-3 window remains severely under-resourced. Tandem's focus on the earliest years fills the gap that TK expansion can't reach. Individual donor support for books and materials is how Tandem maintains the volume and quality of its book programs as demand grows.

Givelink in action with Tandem

A donor in Oakland gave multilingual picture books through Givelink to Tandem. Two weeks later, a photo arrived: the books sorted by language and age range in Tandem's distribution area, ready for their next delivery cycle to partner sites. She gave again the following month, this time requesting Spanish-language books specifically. Browse Tandem's wishlist on Givelink.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Tandem Partners in Early Learning need most?

Age-appropriate picture books in multiple languages, board books for infants and toddlers, and bilingual books are their most consistent needs. Parent guides and educator materials also support their training programs.

Is Tandem a legitimate nonprofit?

Yes. Tandem, Partners in Early Learning is a verified 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2003 (formerly Raising A Reader). They received a MacKenzie Scott grant in 2024. Their Givelink profile displays Charity Navigator evaluation data.

Give a child their first hundred books

Browse Tandem's wishlist on Givelink and give something that starts a reading life.

Stay Human.

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Antonis Politis is CEO and Co-Founder of Givelink.