ReadingPals is a statewide early literacy initiative that provides volunteer mentors for students from pre-k to 3rd grade who may need extra help.
ReadingPals was created by The Children’s Movement of Florida, and is powered by passionate volunteers, strong community partnerships, and a shared commitment to early childhood literacy.
Since 2011, thanks to United Ways and other partners across the state, ReadingPals volunteers have been paired with thousands of young children in Florida. They build meaningful relationships and help improve their social-emotional development and early literacy skills.
Over the last 13 years, more than 33,000 students have received a ReadingPals mentor and a share of 572,000 donated books.
Where We Operate
Our ReadingPals volunteers have been paired with thousands of young children in Florida. They build meaningful relationships and help improve their social-emotional development and early literacy skills.
See if ReadingPals is available in your community, or consider a virtual mentoring option, accessible from any smart device.
2025 ReadingPals Conference
As we conclude our 13th year of ReadingPals, we'll learn together with keynote speaker Dr. Jason Yeatman, who leads the Brain Development and Education Lab at Stanford University, on "The Brain Science of Reading."
2022-2023 ReadingPals Impact
- 19 Participating Counties
- 500 Classrooms
- 2,575 Students Matched
- 1,317 Volunteer Mentors
- 36,871 Take-Home Books Donated
- 61,919 Reading Sessions
Interested in being a ReadingPals Volunteer?
The need
- As of 2024, only 51% of Florida children are "ready" for kindergarten. (For students who do not attend VPK, that number drops to 37%!)
- According to the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) in 2023, 45% of Florida students cannot read at a minimally proficient level by the end of third grade.
Time commitment
ReadingPals volunteers are asked to commit an hour per week with their student(s) for 25+ weeks during the school year (some programs may offer a 30-minute per week or semester option).
Thousands of volunteers have made this commitment, many of whom have returned for multiple years!
Getting started
Sign up with the easy form just below or email your local ReadingPals partner. You'll soon be connected with a regional coordinator who will provide details about participating schools in your area, available time slots, background screening, training, and curriculum.
Your impact
ReadingPals is built on three pillars.
- Early Literacy: To improve students' vocabulary and understanding of the fundamental building blocks of early literacy.
- Mentorship: To strengthen confidence, self-awareness, and empathy through a consistent relationship between mentors and students.
- Love of Reading: To reinforce a love of reading with high quality books and engaging activities.
ReadingPals volunteers learn first-hand the importance of early education and gain exposure to the challenges many teachers and students face in the classroom. We hope the ReadingPals experience will inspire our volunteers to become advocates alongside The Movement, promoting greater investment in Florida’s youngest children.
Have a question? Just email us.
Become a ReadingPal
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