Tech fostering reading | Improving community health | A freezer farm coming to South Louisville
“A child who reads will be an adult who thinks." — Sasha Salmina
Today’s issue:
September 8, 2020
HOMEGROWN SUCCESS
MobileServe makes deal with BookNook 
Christopher Head, MobileServe CEO
MobileServe, a Louisville software company, continues to grow its impact. MobileServe, which provides smart volunteer tracking and advanced social impact reporting, has announced a partnership with BookNook, a platform for online synchronous reading instruction.
The partnership will connect volunteers across the country to elementary school students in lower-income communities for literacy intervention.
Louisville Future caught up with Christopher Head, MobileServe’s CEO, to talk about their product and the deal with BookNook.
Tell us about MobileServe
Head: MobileServe’s app allows people and organizations to spend less time on administrative tasks, and more time doing good in the world. Our app replaces the pen and paper verification system with tracking, peer-to-peer engagement, and visual reporting. We founded in 2015, and have partnered with hundreds of schools, universities, and corporations throughout the United States to serve tens of thousands of non-profit community partners.
Can you tell us what the deal with BookNook is about?
Head: Through our partnership with BookNook, we're going to connect volunteers across the country to elementary school students in lower-income communities for literacy intervention.
This all came about because my High School English teacher, who’s also on the board of Learning Disabilities of Kentucky, reached out to me earlier this month. She told me that, although they were waiving their service hour requirements this year due to COVID, she really wanted to find a way for students to continue to have an impact on the community.
Because we work with schools across the country, MobileServe was able to see what's working with programs in different communities. We learned about BookNook through the Hockaday School in Dallas, who is one of our partners. That week, I reached out to BookNook's CEO, and we've been collaborating ever since.
Process-wise, our high school clients show interest in getting their students involved and we get them connected to a Title 1 school who either already uses BookNook or we help them find funding for it. Then the student volunteers go through training and get connected to their mentees for the semester.
What does this deal mean for MobileServe?
Head: This deal means that MobileServe will be able to help facilitate virtual service learning opportunities across the country, and because of our volunteers, ensure that many kids in low-income communities don't get left behind during NTI [Non-Traditional Instruction]. Share this story!
The right place at the right time Here's another example of a local company flourishing during COVID: Louisville-based Capture Higher Ed.
Capture specializes in digital recruitment and college enrollment management products. Their Behavioral Intelligence Platform offers products and solutions that integrate into campus systems, helping institutions achieve enrollment goals.
Now Capture has announced its best first half of year in its history. Revenue for the company grew to more than $5 million, a 10% increase compared to last year.
“It’s a great success story,” Dale Boden, Chairman of Capture’s Board of Directors told Louisville Business First. “We're very excited about where Capture is headed and very bullish on its future.” Share this story!
ADVANCING HEALTHCARE
UofL Hospital first to acquire milk analyzer UofL Hospital's Center for Women and Infants has become the first Louisville hospital to acquire a human milk analyzer. The device can test a mother’s milk to determine how much fat, carbohydrates, and proteins the milk contains.
The composition of breast milk is variable, and the analysis is critically important in the care of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), who may be at risk of growth failure. If the mother’s milk is lacking in certain nutrients, caregivers can supplement with fortified milk to take up the slack. The analyzer’s results allow providers to create a targeted nutritional plan, so infants get what they need for optimum growth and development. Share this story!
Intriguing projects at Louisville institute Another project is underway at the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute at the University of Louisville.
Share this story!
UPS prepares for vaccine shipments UPS and its air operations hub are preparing for the day when it will need to deliver coronavirus vaccines across the globe.
There has been a push in recent years for cellular and genetic therapies that involve live cells. This has created a growing need for “deep-frozen storage.” It looks like the coming surge for Covid-19 vaccines will require deep-frozen too. UPS is building its “freezer farm” at the South Louisville facility.
The building will feature 300 ultra-low temperature refrigeration units, each holding 48,000 vials of vaccines. UPS spokesperson Wes Sheeler called this the first goal for companies working with Operation Warp Speed, the White House-led partnership for getting its partners ready to distribute vaccines by Nov. 1. Share this story!
Hot Briefs
KNOW YOUR CITY
Have you checked your "Louis-Q" recently?
In honor of the plans for a new distillery in town, this week we focus our trivia on bourbon. Test your bourbon pedigree.
Click here for answers.
AROUND THE REGION With 
We hope you enjoy these headlines from the latest issue of Flyover Future, chronicling innovation throughout the Midwest. If you'd like to subscribe to Flyover Future, click here.
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