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Reading to Kids News
October 2, 2025
 

Dear Friends of Reading to Kids,

Two weeks ago we shared the exciting news that Reading to Kids is a winner of a 2025 NBCUniversal #LocalImpactGrants recipient in the amount of $26,136!

Check out our YouTube video of the 15 second TV promo that started airing this week on their @nbcla station! Here is the Spanish version airing on their @telemundo52 station! stars icon

Reading to Kids YouTube video thumbnail image

Our October 11th "Halloween, Magic, & Monsters" reading clubs are currently filled up!

However, people's plans often change, so please keep checking our website over the next eight days for cancellations we expect to have!

(If you signed up for the reading clubs but can't join us, please cancel your RSVP now so that another volunteer can read with us.)

We are so excited to also have these magicians performing at the reading clubs!

Magician Jeff Thomson performing at Politi Elementary

We also encourage all volunteers to dress up in school-appropriate Halloween costumes!

MacArthur Park Elem. volunteers in costumes

A FEW MORE VOLUNTEER LEADERS
ALSO NEEDED OCT. 11TH

Calling all experienced volunteers! We're still looking for a few more folk willing to be Training Coordinators, Check-In Helpers, Grade Level Coordinators (5th grade at Gratts, 1st grade at Politi), & Site Operations Helpers for these next reading clubs. tree branch icon

If you have volunteered with us before and can help in any of those roles, e-mail us at info@readingtokids.org (even if your school is full) to tell us the above role you would like to take on to create wonderful reading clubs together!


_______________________________________________

READING TO KIDS AMBASSADORS
WANTED NEXT THURSDAY OR FRIDAY!

Sample flyers

Next Thursday or Friday for an hour or two between 7:30am and 2:30pm, we need your help conducting quick classroom walk-throughs and/or passing out flyers to encourage kids to come to our Oct. 11th reading clubs.

We are especially looking for volunteers available from about 1:15 - 2:45 next Thursday or Friday, Oct. 9th or 10th. calendar icon

It's an exciting experience and we'll provide everything you need. Please reply to info@readingtokids.org or call the office at (310) 479-7455 if you can be an Ambassador for an hour or two!

_______________________________________________

LEGENDARY BINGO OCT. 21ST:
SAVE THE DATE, SHARE OUR FLYER,
& HELP FIND PRIZES!

Drag Queen Bingo!

It's back! On Tuesday, October 21st, join Reading to Kids for Legendary Bingo at Hamburger Mary's in West Hollywood!

The drinks are strong, the drag queen bingo is "R" rated, and seating is limited, so be sure to reserve your seat in advance! All attendees must be 18 years old or older.

Reading to Kids Bingo Night flyer

If you've been before you know it's a blast. If you haven't, click here for a video on their website to see what you've been missing!

Please click the image above for a flyer in .PDF format and forward it to anyone you know who may be interested in going to our Legendary Bingo Night. You can also print out the flyer and post it wherever many people are likely to see it, perhaps with a note that you are going and inviting others to join you.

WHEN:   Tuesday, October 21, 7pm - 8:30pm
WHERE: Hamburger Mary's Restaurant
               8288 Santa Monica Blvd.
               West Hollywood, CA 90046
               (323) 654-3800
               hamburgermarys.com/weho/

Cost:  $20 suggested donation (bring cash, please!), which includes 9 regular bingo games and one grand prize bingo game with fantastic prizes!

Book your reservation through their Yelp page. Parking is available at WeHo City Hall across the street (street and meter parking available)

Legendary Bingo is very popular and there is limited seating available. Plan to arrive before 7:00 p.m. to get a seat. We strongly suggest making a reservation through their Yelp page or hamburgermarys.com/weho/ or (323) 654-3800 to ensure your seat.

All proceeds go to Reading to Kids. For more details, visit our October 21st Bingo event on Facebook and invite your friends!

HELP US FIND MORE BINGO PRIZES!

You can also help us gather more prizes for the bingo winners! To help you get started, here is information about Reading to Kids you can share with potential donors (such as where you work or shop), as well as a donation form for them to complete.

Donate to us any of your unused gift cards for bingo! E-mail us at info@readingtokids.org to donate!

_______________________________________________

THREE MORE RUNNERS NEEDED
FOR THE 2026 LA MARATHON,
13.1 MILE CHARITY HALF MARATHON,
OR LA 5K!

Do you know any runners? Are you a runner? Please forward this email to them and ask them to join Team Reading to Kids in the 2026 Los Angeles Marathon or 13.1 Mile Charity Half Marathon on Sunday, March 8th!

Team Reading to Kids logo

This is our 12th time running the marathon, and we're looking for three more Charity Half Marathon runners (the last 13.1 miles of the course) and more full marathon runners to join us in one of the best marathons in the country.

If either of those distances is too daunting, you can join us in the LA 5K (that's just 3.1 miles) near Dodger Stadium the day before the marathon on Saturday, March 7th.

If you or a runner you know is interested in becoming one of our fundraising runners or creating a fundraising team, please email Chris Martin at marathon@readingtokids.org!

IMPORTANT NOTE: To register to run on behalf of Reading to Kids, you MUST receive from us a special web address to use when registering on the Los Angeles Marathon website.

Team Reading to Kids LA Marathon runners
_______________________________________________

7 COMPUTERS OR TABLETS WANTED
TO GIVE TO KIDS!

Looking way ahead to our April reading clubs, we would love to give away a computer or iPad/tablet to one lucky kid at each school!

If you or your employer have any working computers that are less than 6 years old running Windows 10 or later, or any Macintosh computers less than 7 years old, or any iPads or similar tablets, we can give them to deserving kids!

We especially need working computers (CPUs), whether or not they come with monitors, keyboards, etc. Please email us at info@readingtokids.org to help make a kid very happy!

iPad winner at Charles White Elementary
A Charles White Elementary 5th grader with perfect Reading to Kids attendance
leaps for joy after winning a new iPad
_______________________________________________

HELP US FIND GRANTS!

Patricia Bergey story at her employer, Numerator

Did you know Reading to Kids receives about half of our funding from corporate and foundation grants? For example, over the last five years alone eight of our volunteers helped us receive $160,000 in grants from their employers!

Please check to see if your employer offers grants that Reading to Kids can apply to and let us know at info@readingtokids.org! You may help us buy thousands of books for kids!

_______________________________________________

Thank you very much, and we really hope to see you and your friends at our October 11th reading clubs and/or at our Legendary Bingo Night on Oct. 21st!

Sincerely,

Charlie Orchard, Yancy Rodriguez Coe, & Anna Davies
Reading to Kids
1600 Sawtelle Blvd, Suite 210
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 479-7455
(310) 479-7435 (FAX)
info@readingtokids.org
www.readingtokids.org
www.facebook.com/readingtokids
www.x.com/readingtokids (formerly Twitter)
Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/readingtokids.org
www.instagram.com/readingtokids

Make a donation:
www.readingtokids.org/HowToHelp/HelpDonate.php

OCTOBER 2025
Reading Club RSVPs
School RSVPs Capacity
Alta Loma 32 32
Esperanza 33 41
Gratts 21 27
MacArthur Park 25 36
Magnolia 24 33
Politi 30 38
White 27 34
TOTAL 192 241
OCTOBER Books. . .
Kindergarten book
Kindergarten
First Grade book
First Grade
Second Grade book
Second Grade
Third Grade book
Third Grade
Fourth Grade book
Fourth Grade
Fifth Grade book
Fifth Grade

Reading to Kids is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Visit www.readingtokids.org for more information.

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