Combining the magic of reading aloud with the power of positive mentoring
Combining the
magic of
reading aloud
with the
power of
positive
mentoring
Every child deserves to be read to by a caring adult.
Read to a Child partners with thousands of community and corporate volunteer mentors who read one-on-one to elementary students at under-resourced schools in the greater metropolitan areas of Boston, Detroit, Hartford, and Los Angeles.
Learn more about the Read to a Child difference
Today’s Readers. Tomorrow’s Leaders.
Andrea Shellman
“I take value in knowing I can support somebody in their learning, growth, and development in reading. It’s a great opportunity to serve and help, and it’s convenient as well. The opportunity to interact with a child and read a book on a weekly basis - it’s always a bright spot in the middle of the week.”
Chris Ehrenfels
“Read to a Child offers a great opportunity to give back to my local community in a way that can really impact children's lives in the long run. I've had the opportunity to work with the same child for multiple years and it is so rewarding to build a relationship with them and see their growth over time.”
Neelu Mohaghegh
“At times I knew that the reading was hard for her to focus on, but I knew she was creative. One day, I asked if she wanted to draw an alternative ending to the story. She had such a blast drawing - I could see the smile on her face - she didn’t even want to leave to go off to recess because she was so engaged. It meant a lot to me to see how I could not only make her smile, but to transform the reading experience for her and bring her happiness.”
Anette Padilla
“I noticed a big improvement in her confidence when reading. Every now and then she would ask to read aloud certain words or phrases and I noticed her confidence start to grow in tackling challenging words and being more comfortable in asking questions if she didn’t understand - I could see her curiosity spark. I have to imagine that having a consistent and reliable relationship with an adult outside of your family has to contribute to that confidence.”
Maria McGeary
“I had this awesome moment with my student where we were trying out a new genre, we were reading a book about space. All of a sudden, he took his headphones off and asked his mom if he could get a telescope for his birthday. It was so cool to see how excited he was. A couple of weeks later, I got an update on his birthday and he got his telescope! That was such a stand out moment for me because we landed on a topic that he was so excited to read about. We read about space for weeks after that. He had such a love of information and we were able to connect that through reading”
News
IN THE PRESS
New England Patriots Present Patriots Difference Maker of the Week Award to long-time Read to a Child volunteer Lenny Young
Jaden Ivey of the Detroit Pistons reads aloud to students at Whitman Elementary School.
On Tuesday, March 12, 2024, Jaden Ivey of the Detroit Pistons read aloud to nearly 200 students in the 3rd through 5th grades at the…
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