Read With Me Volunteer Programs

The mission of Read With Me Volunteer Programs is to engage volunteers to assist children from low income, limited English speaking environments develop to their fullest potential by learning to read, comprehend and speak English, while understanding that people care about them as individuals.

Read With Me started in 2004 in one school in Mecca, CA. Twenty two years later Read with Me recruits, trains and mobilizes more than 500 active retired (and non retired) volunteer tutors for 22 schools in the Coachella Valley of California and two schools in Nevada to be the backbone and core of this early-intervention literacy program.

The Read With Me Program is unique in that it bonds two of society's most valuable resources: disadvantaged children living in third-world living conditions who have the ability to learn and understand English together with caring, qualified underutilized educated retired adults who want to make a difference in the lives of children.

In concert with volunteers, dedicated teachers in the classroom and community sponsors such as churches, clubs and senior citizen centers, the Read With Me Volunteer Programs tutors more than 4,200 children and engages more than 13,500 children a year to help them with English language acquisition, and provide them books.

Read With Me is continuously recruiting volunteers to tutor the most struggling elementary school children in the Coachella Valley. If you are interested in volunteering, please call 760-567-1830.

Testimonials

Maria P volunteers at Mountain Vista elementary school, and comments, " Seeing the reading progress of our students is so rewarding and fulfilling. The excitement the students display when we come into our sessions demonstrates how we both benefit."

Jessica Whiteman, Principal, Cathedral City Elementary School, writes, "Getting books into the homes of our students is extremely important and beneficial to their future. Many of our families do not have the means to purchase books, so when we can provide them with these valuable resources it helps create a more equitable opportunity. Books in homes help students not only with reading, but also vocabulary, comprehension, and learning about the world around us."

And volunteer Lynn D tells us, "I have over 100 thank you notes and letters from our students (Grades k-5) expressing how grateful they were for the free books that Read With Me gave them. It was wonderful to watch the smiles and excitement on their faces as the children sorted through the books, trying to find the two special books that they were going to be able to take home. One frequent question from the kids was: 'Do you mean I get to keep this book and own it?? Wow, this is so cool. Thank you so much!' My heart just burst to see the students so excited about receiving their books"!

"Thank you for giving us free books. Now we can practice our reading over the break. Reading everyday makes you smarter and you can learn new words. Thank you so much," says Aitana, Grade Four, Cathedral City Elementary School.

These comments are wonderfully common among our students and volunteers. The children love the individual adult attention, the teachers love the help, and the volunteers treasure their experience.