Truist Financial Corporation and EVERFI Inc. announced all elementary students nationwide will soon have access to WORD Force Universe, a proven, no-cost digital early literacy program. Designed for students in grades K-2, the interactive, online program empowers children to learn to read and is available for educators, community-based organizations and for families to use at home. From January 2020 through June 2021, Truist conducted a pilot of the WORD Force program, reaching more than 17,000 students at 684 schools. Over half of the schools and students who used the program during the pilot phase were identified as low- to moderate-income. Students improved their literacy and reading skills across the board with notable improvements in their ability to sound out more complex letter patterns, understand word tense, build longer words, read and understand new vocabulary, make new words and spell high-frequency words. The interactive, online program meets the student when and where they can access the curriculum, allowing optimal flexibility and convenience. WORD Force Universe is designed to ensure all students have equal access to literacy fundamentals, including phonics, letter-sound/letter name matching, word building, sight words, vocabulary and reading comprehension. It aligns with standards and, through EVERFI's team of in-community implementation specialists, will be an additional resource for all elementary school teachers across Truist's markets in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C., as they kick off the new school year.