The Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading helps children from birth through 3rd grade, especially those from asset-limited families, succeed in life by ensuring that they read on grade level. The focus is on key solutions that impact a child’s ability to read, while strengthening support for children and families.

Reading Volunteers meet for one hour a week during the school year (outside of school hours) to read with children one-to-one, promoting literacy skills and encouraging a love of reading. They may also be asked to play educational games with students based on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and/or comprehension.

Partner with the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. If you love reading, enjoy working with children, and can commit to one hour of volunteering per week, please contact these community agencies and become a volunteer.

Literacy Volunteers, click here for important information.
The volunteer programs below are not affiliated with the School District of Manatee County. All volunteers are recruited and trained by the respective community agencies. Please do not contact schools directly.

Books for Kids

Books For Kids is a project of the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch. Their mission is to raise the reading levels of elementary school students by helping with reading comprehension and by providing “Books For Kids.” They also engage parents and guardians in literacy-based activities so that the entire family can become involved. The goal is to improve the quality of life for boys and girls in underserved communities throughout Florida by increasing the number of books in home libraries. Volunteers dedicate one hour a week during the school year to meet with students and support their reading comprehension. Other volunteer opportunities are available such as book distributions.

To register as a volunteer, please contact: 
Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch
Ted Lindenberg
(845) 304-5793
https://flbooksforkids.org

Printable Flyer - English
Flyer imprimible - Español

Books for Kids Kindergarten

The Books for Kids Kindergarten program is coordinated by the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch.  The Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch Books for Kids Kindergarten Program provides trained community volunteers to go into one kindergarten classroom at two Title I classrooms (Samoset Elementary and Tillman Elementary) for 20 weeks to read to students individually or in a small group (2-3) for a 30-minute session.  This program helps children to develop reading skills, build vocabulary, and have a positive relationship with books.  Each week this program provides each child with a new book for literature in their home. 

Other volunteer opportunities are available such as labeling and leveling books. Our goals are: 
• To build genuine, impactful relationships between students and our volunteer mentors
• To help students build a strong social-emotional foundation through self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making
• To improve students' understanding of the fundamental building blocks of early literacy

The  Books for Kids Program and the Books for Kids Kindergarten Program will provide an after-school hours virtual literacy mentoring program.  Kindergarten – third-grade parents at participating Title I schools must opt-in after school hours to participate and to schedule a trained community volunteer.  Literacy volunteers will read with the child, review vocabulary words, support text and listening comprehension skills and generate enthusiasm for books and reading. 

To register as a volunteer, please contact: 
Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch
Ted Lindenberg
(845) 304-5793
https://flbooksforkids.org

Books for Kids & 13th Avenue Dream Center Mentorship

This virtual 1-1 opportunity is focused on third-grade students enrolled at Manatee Elementary School. Volunteers seek to change the lives of children facing adversity by coaching them to achieve success in school, avoid risky behaviors, and to improve their self-confidence. Volunteers meet weekly with their mentee using the Youth Empowerment Solutions (YES) program.

For more information, please contact: 
Children’s Home Society of Florida
Renita Houston | Community Partnership
(813) 618-1422
renita.houston@chsfl.org

13th Avenue Dream Center
Derrick Randall | Director
drandall@uccfl.org

To register as a volunteer, please contact: 
Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch
Ted Lindenberg
(845) 304-5793
https://flbooksforkids.org

ReadingPals

ReadingPals is a coordinated effort by the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County. ReadingPals, a statewide program designed by the Children's Movement of Florida, is a volunteer-based literacy initiative that provides mentors for kindergarten students. Volunteers dedicate 30 minutes a week for 25 weeks during the school year to meet with students and support a love of reading.

To register as a volunteer, please contact:
The Early Learning Coalition of Manatee
Rachel Spivey
(941) 757-2900 ext 2501
ReadingPals@elc-manatee.org 

READING PALS Volunteer Flyer.pdf

Dive into Reading

The Dive into Reading summer reading program, provided by Anna Maria Oyster Bar, aims to improve children’s reading levels and mitigate summer learning loss.

Anna Maria Oyster Bar
https://www.oysterbar.net/reading

Soar in 4

Soar in 4 is a collaborative effort to ensure all children are reading on grade level by the end of third grade. Soar in 4 focuses on 15 economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Due to COVID-19, the program has transitioned to a monthly drive-thru with 14 demonstration tables that are facilitated by teachers from the School District of Manatee County, non-profit organizations and volunteers. Every month a spotlight book is featured. Families drive by each table and receive materials to support the book so they can continue to play, create, learn and explore at home together. All activities are aligned to classroom learning.

School District of Manatee County
Sheila Halpin | Coordinator Campaign Reading
(941) 753-0958 x2008
halpins@manateeschools.net

Soar in 4
https://soarin4.org

YMCA Reads

YMCA Reads is an afterschool literacy intervention program for K-4th grade at-risk students attending Bayshore Elementary and Moody Elementary schools. This literacy program uses a structured curriculum focusing on systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, and sight words. Volunteers may choose between two options: Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30-5:00 p.m. or Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Volunteers are asked to teach twice a week for consistent instruction with the children, but there is flexibility if you can only commit to one afternoon a week. For additional information, please visit https://manateeymca.org/programs/yreads.

Manatee YMCA
Nancy Sena | Coordinator YMCA Reads
(941) 782-0220
nsena@manateeymca.org

Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County

Volunteer reading mentors are crucial to early literacy efforts.

Community Toolkit
Extended Classroom Reading List
Kindergarten Reading List
K-3rd Grade BEST Booklist
YES Curriculum - University of Michigan

Storyline Online
National Geographic Kids
KidVision Pre-K
PBS Kids
Dr. Seuss
Starfall
Wonderopolis