Assistance League of Diablo Valley Member Volunteers Love to R.E.A.D.!

In 2003, Assistance League® Diablo Valley, a member volunteer organization dedicated to improving lives in our community through hands-on programs, initiated the R.E.A.D. program. R.E.A.D. encourages elementary schoolchildren to Read, Enrich, Achieve and Discover. More recently, the R.E.A.D. program was umbrellaed under the nationally acclaimed Operation School Bell® and is now one of fifteen hands-on programs.

Operation School Bell Programs VP Jane Blomstrand and Chairman Connie Miller report that due to the energetic volunteers committed to reading monthly to students in the classroom, that both the students and program continue to thrive. Starting on Thursday, October 3, the R.E.A.D. volunteers will read to approximately 980 second grade students in 35 classrooms, in 13 schools in the Mt. Diablo Unified and Walnut Creek School Districts each month.

In addition, R.E.A.D. will allocate funds to each of the 13 schools’ libraries to cover the cost of their Wishlist by providing year-end books for the students’ for at-home reading enjoyment during the summer.

The principal source of funding for all 15 hands-on programs is the Assistance League Thrift Shop, the well-known landmark located next to the Park Theater, in Lafayette. Much appreciated donations and purchases ultimately improve lives in our community. To learn more, please visit: assistanceleague.org/diablo-valley.