Listen Live
St. Jude Give Monthly 2024
Praise 104.1
CLOSE

reading-rainbow

LeVar Burton launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring the Reading Rainbow app,based on the beloved PBS children’s series that aired its last episode in 2006, into schools all over—and the response was beyond positive.

In fact, more than $1 million was raised on the campaign’s first day thanks to 22,408 supporters.

In response to the touching display of generosity, Burton—who hosted the original series for its entire 23-year run—posted a video today that shows just how wonderful it felt to watch that number tick upward toward seven figures.

Once the goal is reached, Burton and his colleagues erupt into cheers and applause and give each other hugs.

After that, the Star Trek and Roots actor turned to the camera to give a heartfelt thank you for the support.

“Kickstarters, I don’t know what to say,” the visibly moved Burton said. “We just crossed the million-dollar threshold, it is our first day. I am overwhelmed. Thank you so much. This is going to enable us to really, really, really do a lot of good.

“I am so proud that this community has come together to support this effort, and it’s a people’s thing. It’s the five [dollars], it’s the 10, it’s the 25. It’s the $1 pledges. It’s unbelievable. Or, actually, it’s very believable. Thank you so much. We are literally changing the world, one children’s book at a time. God bless.”

And butterfly in the sky, they can go twice as high— the campaign has now raised more than $2.3 million.