The university’s diverse campus has united with Better Together, an interfaith community service organization, to help children and adults in Tarrant County learn to read and write.

Better Together is a national, student-run campaign for interfaith action and diversity, Paige Wells, junior English major and president of the organization, said.

The Rev. Todd Boling, associate chaplain for Religious and Spiritual Life, said that the goal of Better Together is to bring people from all faith practices and perspectives together for a common cause. 

Wells said the group's mission statement is “All are welcome. All are accepted. No exceptions.” 

“We partner together in service and in doing so we build relationships, celebrate the things we share in common, and learn from the things that make us different,” Boling said. 

He said the organization's members come from a variety of backgrounds, but share a common desire to help others in need.

Wells said each year the organization is motivated by a different goal. This year's is to increase literacy throughout the Fort Worth community. She said Better Together and the Tarrant County Literacy Coalition have partnered to teach children and adults how to read and write. 

Wells said Boling and 11 Better Together volunteer leadership team members spent spring break meeting other members from across the nation and attending leadership-training events in San Francisco. At the conference, Boling and the leadership team members learned how to bring the Better Together campaign to the university.

There are currently more than 100 Better Together groups nationwide, Wells said.

The organization's student leaders came back from San Francisco excited and ready to build Better Together on campus, Wells said. 

“In all faiths, service and helping our neighbor is important,” Zoey Murzyn, a junior sociology and religion double major, said. She said it is enlightening to have an awareness of other people’s perspectives. 

With the club’s kickoff meeting the first week of school, members of Better Together are excited to welcome new participants, Wells said. 

Murzyn said all faiths, backgrounds and religious perspectives are welcome. She said it is valuable to look outside of one's own environment. 

To get involved with the initiative visit their Facebook.