National Non-Profit, Read to a Child®, Selects Lily Samuels as its next Greater Hartford Regional Director

For Immediate Release

Ms. Samuels to grow support, stakeholders and operations in Greater Hartford to serve more students in acclaimed reading programs

Hartford, CT, September 9, 2019 – National literacy and mentoring non-profit, Read to a Child^®, announced today that it has selected Lily Samuels, M.A. as its next Greater Hartford Regional Director.  Ms. Samuels will continue to grow support, stakeholders, and operations in Greater Hartford in order to serve more elementary school students in programs, including its acclaimed Lunchtime Reading Program.

Since earning a Master’s Degree at Columbia University, Ms. Samuels has enjoyed a successful career collaborating with numerous non-profits to expand their reach and deepen their impact. She brings extensive experience in fundraising, community and board relations, and program management. Lily’s success as Director of Institutional Giving at Phoenix House Foundation will be particularly relevant as she grows Read to a Child’s impact and stakeholder community in Greater Hartford.

“I am thrilled with Lily’s selection and look forward to her positive impact on Read to a Child’s growth goals in Greater Hartford,” said Paul Lamoureux, CEO of Read to a Child.  “During the last three years we have significantly grown the Lunchtime Reading Program, as well as our stakeholder community in Hartford and New Britain and, based upon her impressive record, I fully expect Lily to continue this growth trajectory.”

“I am excited to join Read to a Child to support the mission of fostering a love of reading and improving literacy skills among at-risk children,” said Ms. Samuels.  “I look forward to working with educators, community leaders, corporate partners, and our outstanding regional board of advisors to expand the program for children most in-need in Connecticut’s under-served communities.”

“I am extremely encouraged that Lily’s combination of skills and experience will help us achieve our expansion goals in Greater Hartford,” said Richard Wasserman, Read to a Child’s CT Regional Board Chair and Partner, Day Pitney LLP. “Lily’s strong fundraising record and relationships with community leaders will be critical in expanding our visibility and support.”

About the Lunchtime Reading Program

Read to a Child deploys corporate and community volunteers to Greater Hartford elementary schools in the Lunchtime Reading Program. Once a week, volunteers read aloud to their designated reading buddy during lunch. The volunteer relationship lasts the entire school year and often extends for multiple years through fourth grade. The simple act of reading aloud to a child once a week, over time, ignites a love of reading in children, while providing students with the skills and self-confidence to succeed in school and in life. The Lunchtime Reading Program also provides adults with a convenient, joyful, and meaningful way to give back to the community.

About Read to a Child 

Read to a Child (readtoachild.org) is a national literacy and mentoring non-profit whose mission is to foster a love of reading, improve literacy skills, and empower underserved children by inspiring adults to read aloud to them regularly.   Read to a Child’s Lunchtime Reading Program utilizes 2,000 corporate and community volunteer mentors who read one-on-one to 1,500 at-risk elementary school students in Greater Boston, Detroit, Hartford, Los Angeles and Miami.