Reading to Kids
is a grassroots organization dedicated to inspiring underserved children
with a love of reading, thereby enriching their lives and opportunities for
future success.
Q:
How did Reading to Kids get started?
A:
Reading to Kids began in 1999 at Gratts
Elementary School.
Reading to Kids founders
began a relationship with Gratts by organizing
periodic carnivals at the school. Looking to start an additional
program with the school that would emphasize learning, the
volunteers, teachers, and administrators came up with the
idea of the "Gratts Reading Club." This reading club began
in May 1999 and its success led to the formation of
Reading to Kids. In
March 2000, Reading to Kids
expanded its program to Esperanza Elementary School and
in March 2001, it expanded again to Magnolia Elementary School.
In 2006,
Reading to Kids
expanded to Hoover and Politi Elementary Schools. In 2007, Reading to Kidsexpanded to White
and Los Angeles Elementary Schools. In 2008, Reading to Kids
expanded to Alta Loma Elementary. In 2016, Reading to Kids
expanded to MacArthur Park Elementary. In the future, Reading to Kids
hopes to expand this successful program to other elementary
schools in the LAUSD.
Q:
Is there a big time commitment? How often are the
reading clubs held?
A:
There is no big time commitment. Volunteers can choose to volunteer
at a reading club whenever their schedules permit. The reading clubs
are held once per month, always on the second Saturday of each month.
Checking in starts
as early as 8:30 AM, with mandatory training for new volunteers
at 9:00 AM. The reading clubs conclude before noon. If you like, at the
bottom of this page you can watch a video on what volunteers can expect at
their first reading club.
Q:
Do volunteers need to bring anything to the school?
A:
Not a thing except, perhaps, a big smile!
Reading to Kids provides
the books and breakfast for the volunteers, and the
schools provide the supplies for the arts and crafts projects.
Some volunteers have, in the past, brought items such as
travel magazine clippings for pictures of faraway places,
paper plates, metallic ink pens, etc. for craft ideas related to
the month's book selection.
If these items inspire creativity, are age-appropriate, and
are easy to clean up, the kids generally appreciate the
extra effort--just let us know what special items
you've brought at check-in time!
Q:
What happens to the books that are purchased for the
reading clubs?
A:
Books that are selected by the teachers and purchased by
Reading to Kids in a
given month are
donated directly to the school libraries.
Reading to Kids has increased the
library holdings of the participating schools by more than 26,000 books overall!
Q:
If I sign up, am I committed to volunteering each month?
A:
Although we would love to have you volunteer each month, we recognize
that people have busy schedules. Our philosophy is that if you
can make it one month, we're glad to have you, but if you can't
make it, then you are welcome to volunteer the following month.
Q:
When may I RSVP?
A:
You may RSVP online
anytime before the next reading club, although the earlier,
the better to help us plan ahead. If it's your first time
volunteering with us, before you are able to RSVP, you will be directed to
our online volunteer application. Click here
to begin the process. Please note that if there are no spots available
for the next reading clubs, this link will direct you to return to the
website when spaces open up, at which point you will then be able to fill
out the online application and RSVP.
Q:
Can I bring my child with me?
A:
Reading to Kids
volunteers should not bring children to the reading clubs with them. All volunteers need to be at least 18 years old.
Q:
Where may I park my vehicle when I volunteer?
A:
For detailed instructions on where to park, please
click here for a list of
schools and directions to each school.
Q:
How else can I help?
A:
Reading to Kids
has been able to expand because volunteers
continue to spread the word about our programs. Please encourage your
friends and co-workers to participate by passing along the information
about our website and by sharing your volunteer experiences with others.
You may also join one of our Taskforce Committees to help us with the management of the programs.
For more information, please contact a committee chair directly, or get
in touch with us through the "Contact
Us" section of this website. Finally, we are always happy to
accept donations to our organization. For more information about
the costs of our programs and about making a donation, please
visit the "Donations"
section of our website.
Last updated
March 4, 2015