This past Saturday 973 kids, 417 volunteers, 115 parents, and 38 teachers & staff joined us at our April 9th reading clubs!

Saturday's launch at our new 8th school, MacArthur Park Elementary, was particularly successful, with 28% of the student enrollment attending! This shattered our previous launch record of 19%! We look forward to many years of reading clubs there!

Next month's theme is Fantasy, Folklore, & Fairytales, so click here to submit your RSVP for the May 14th reading clubs! Please also join our May 14th Facebook event to help spread the word.

Late last week we were saddened to learn that long-time Reading to Kids volunteer Jerry Buchanan has passed away. He was 67.

From left to right in the photo above: Mark May (Esperanza Site Coordinator), Matthew Jones (Esperanza volunteer), Mary Abdo (Reading to Kids Program Coordinator 2003-2005), and Jerry Buchanan.

Jerry first volunteered with Reading to Kids in July 2000 when we were only putting on reading clubs at two schools. By March 2009, when he attended his last reading club, he had volunteered with us 96 times at seven different schools. Jerry was instrumental in helping us grow through his volunteer leadership and in selecting and purchasing prize books for the children we serve.

Jerry was known as an animated, expressive reader who brought to life the stories he read. He shared his enthusiasm for our program by being a Grade Level Coordinator 71 times and often serving as a "food runner," delivering donated bagels and purchased food to the other volunteers. Those who knew him enjoyed his kindness, wisdom, and dedication to serving children. Reading to Kids was honored to have him volunteer with our program, and our thoughts go out to his friends and family.

For more than 13 years Jerry also volunteered for School on Wheels, where he was a wonderful tutor and mentor to close to 120 of their students. He tutored in their Skid Row Learning Center several days a week and in other shelters in Glendale and Pasadena.

Last Thursday LA Street Angel (and Reading to Kids volunteer) Mandelyn Reese interviewed our Managing Director, Charlie Orchard, about Reading to Kids on her TradioV.com web streaming show.

You can watch the interview by clicking on the "Shows" tab at TradioV.com and looking for LA Street Angel.

Or, you can see the interview on our website.

Our thanks to Mandelyn for featuring Reading to Kids on her show and for inviting our special guest, Pip the Reading to Kids office dog!

On Sunday, April 24th, please join the Curriculum Committee at 1pm in the Reading to Kids office as they create activity and craft guides for the May books! Click here for our Facebook event, or click here for the Evite!

For details on any of our events, check out our handy calendar on our website!