United Through Reading (UTR) was selected for its innovative and grassroots response to a critical need in the armed forces community, their exceptional international impact on military families, and demonstrating the impact of one person's courageous transformative vision and actions. Founded 25 years ago by military-spouse Betty Mohlenbrock, UTR offers deployed military service members the opportunity to be video-recorded reading books to their children at home in nearly 200 locations worldwide. An estimated 2 million service member families have participated in the program.