Volunteer
You know that look of wonder and joy that children get on their face when they listen to someone read them a story? Children need help to build strong connections and skills that will enable them to succeed as workers, parents, and community citizens. When adults reach their educational goals, their families and communities grow stronger. With the critical support of our dedicated volunteers, we can make a difference.
Volunteers are not just a part of the system, they are the backbone of the success of students and reading and art programs. Your optimism and enthusiasm, your diverse perspectives, they all contribute to the success. You bring a positive energy that leads to enhanced learning outcomes for students, and that's a role that's truly valued and integral to the cause.
By becoming a volunteer, you can help empower a learner to reach their full potential and participate more fully in society.
Who Can Be a Volunteer?
Almost anyone who knows how to read can be a reading volunteer. What we are looking for is a person with a passion for helping children grow in learning. High school students, college students, parents, grandparents, military service members, and police officers are just a sample of the kinds of people who become volunteers.
What Volunteers Do?
Volunteers work along side of one of our directors with elementary school-age children to promote connections, creative and reading growth during a visit, unless otherwise notified of a special event. They may read books to children, listen to children read aloud, or distribute books to school children, work on projects, do arts and crafts, sing, and dance. Volunteers promote the activity of whole child learning approach; aesthetic, affective, cognitive, language & literacy, physical and social, rather than focusing on teaching reading skills. Typically we are at sites, daycares and homeschools on Friday at varying times between 11-2.
Reading volunteers may read to a whole group of children or be assigned to group to do activities with. Volunteers with experience working with programs offered by schools, after-school programs, or public libraries would be a great benefit to our program
Some volunteers can also help with preparing projects by cutting out construction paper, staple papers, bag projects and much more.
Minimum Requirements
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You must be 18 years or older
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Commit to 2 or more hours a month
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Attend orientation
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Pass a background, TB and fingerprinting
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy: We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, military or veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, age, protected medical condition, genetic information, disability or any other protected status in accordance with all applicable federal, state and local laws.