United Way of Marion County is recruiting volunteers for their ReadingPals program during the upcoming school year.
Volunteers will placed in targeted, kindergarten classrooms in 19 elementary schools for the 2019-2020 school year to assist students in building critical literacy skills. Volunteers will work for 30 or 60 minute sessions during the school day, once or twice a week for 25 weeks throughout the school year.
ReadingPals are paired with struggling students to work one-on-one for the length of the program. Books, training materials and background screening will be provided.
Volunteers are needed for three new public schools that were added to this year’s program, including Dunnellon Elementary, Anthony Elementary and East Marion Elementary. These three new schools, as well as Ft. McCoy Elementary and Reddick Collier Elementary, currently have the greatest need. Read the complete list of participating schools at UWMC.org/ReadingPals.
Since ReadingPals’ inception in 2012, 1,333 volunteers have served 1,243 Marion County children and more than 36,000 books have been distributed. ReadingPals is made possible by United Way of Marion County with additional grant funding provided by Carol and Barney Barnett, in partnership with the Children’s Movement of Florida.
The next volunteer training workshop will be help on Thursday, July 18th at 10 a.m. at
United Way of Marion County’s Bonnie Heath Community Room (1401 NE 2 nd Street, Ocala).
2019-2020
All volunteers are required to attend a workshop.
July
Thursday, 18th United Way Community Rm. 10 a.m.
Thursday, 25th United Way Community Rm. 2 p.m.
August
Tuesday, 6th Master the Possibilities Rm. # 1 10 a.m.
Thursday, 8th United Way Community Rm. 2 p.m.
Thursday, 15th United Way Community Rm. 10 a.m.
September
Wednesday, 11th Master the Possibilities Rm. # 1 10 a.m.
Monday, 16th United Way Community Rm. 2 p.m.
October
Monday, 7th Master the Possibilities Rm. # 1 10 a.m.
Thursday, 17th United Way Community Rm. 10 a.m.
November
Tuesday, 19th United Way Community Rm. 2 p.m.
If you are interested in signing up or for more information please contact the United Way by calling Jan Hathaway at 352-732-9696 (ext. 212) or emailing jhathaway@uwmc.org