In the News

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KCTV – Black Kansas City stories to be presented to United Nations (March 14, 2024)

Love KC Living Podcast – Lead to Read KC | Linda Hughes (February 22, 2024)

UMKC Emeritus The Beacon – Linda Hughes and the Lead to Read KC Program (Spring 2024)

KCUR Adventure! Explore Kansas City’s rich literary history (February 8, 2024)

KMBC Mahomes Foundation remains busy this week in Kansas City (February 5, 2024)

Discover Vintage America Reading Mentor Ken Weyand’s book collection from his childhood (February, 2024)

KKFI Changing Narratives Interim Executive Director discusses the literacy crisis in our community (January 27, 2024)

Press Release 15 and the Mahomies Foundation Continues Partnership with Lead to Read KC to Distribute Books to Local Schools (January 26, 2024)

Lead to Read KC Executive Director Job Listing (January 25, 2024)

KMBC KMBC 9 Cares for Kids announces ambitious 2024 fundraising goal (January 10, 2024)

Kansas City Royals Royals Charities Community Moment: Lead to Read KC (December 16, 2023)

Kauffman Currents ProX employers talk about the benefits of the program (November 28, 2023)

KMBC Notre Dame de Sion students create bilingual book drive (November 28, 2023)

Rounding the Bases with Joel Goldberg Ep. 903 Pauly Hart | Turning the Page for a Brighter Tomorrow (November 28, 2023)

The Pitch Pauly Hart of Lead to Read KC is passing the baton (November 20, 2023)

KMBC Kansas City children’s book author partners with Lead to Read KC’s volunteer program (November 14, 2023)

KMBC Former Mizzou Football Star Partners with Lead to Read KC after Penning Children’s Book (October 30, 2023)

Turner USD 202 District News District Receives Book Vending Machine (October 30, 2023)

American Library Association American Association of School Librarians Commends Lead to Read KC (October 23, 2023)

Press Release Local Authors Start Sixth Year of Mental Health and Wellness Visits at Schools (October 19, 2023)

Press Release Book Vending Machines Encourage Young Readers (October 5, 2023)

United Way of Greater Kansas City GEICO supports Lead to Read KC Through Reading is Fundamental Partnership (October 2, 2023)

Press Release Lead to Read Announces Leadership Transition (October 2, 2023)

The Community Voice Closing the Reading Literacy Gap in KC (September 8, 2023)

KC Today Boost literacy in Kansas City by supporting these four nonprofits (September 7, 2023)

KCUR Up to Date One-third of 3rd graders around Kansas City struggle to read. What should be done about it? (August 24, 2023)

ResourceKC Local Realtors Give Back Through Lead to Read Program (August 24, 2023)

Press Release Lead to Read KC Launches Individualized Summer Tutoring Program (June 21, 2023)

FOX4 Lead to Read KC’s Pauly Hart and Linda Hughes Discuss the Power of Summer Reading (June 20, 2023)

YouTube Lead to Read KC Student Alumni Share the Reading Mentoring Program’s Lasting Impact (June 9, 2023)

YouTube Kansas City is Busy Building Dreams – and so is Lead to Read KC (June 9, 2023)

YouTube Lead to Read KC brings Orion Jean, TIME Magazine Kid of the Year, to Speak on Kindness and Reading (June 9, 2023)

KMBC 9 News did a series of read-alouds with Nick Bender, Bryan Busby, Len Jennings, Neville Miller and Lara Moritz in honor of KMBC Cares for Kids (June 5-9, 2023)

KMBC 9 News Lead to Read is trying to improve the futures of Kansas City kids one book at at time (June 5, 2023)

KMBC 9 News KMBC Cares for Kids: Lead to Read (June 4, 2023)

KMBC 9 News Over 2,000 Kansas City students join Patrick Mahomes for Lead to Read KC event (March 16, 2023)

KSHB 41 News Thousands of students join Patrick Mahomes for ‘Reading Rally’ (March 15, 2023)

FOX 4 News Kansas City Chiefs QB Mahomes challenges students to read (March 15, 2023)

KCTV 5 News Patrick Mahomes challenges kids to ‘Read for 15’ (March 15, 2023)

Northeast News Lead to Read increases literacy rates in Northeast elementary schools (March 15, 2023)

KMBC 9 News Lead to Read, 15 and the Mahomies celebrate with students at Melcher Elementary School (March 8, 2023)

KMBC 9 News Building a bridge: Lead to Read KC event aims at encouraging kids to read about construction (March 3, 2023)

KMBC 9 News Lead to Read KC holds panel with business leaders to discuss literacy in the workforce (January 10, 2023)

The Pitch  Lead to Read summit addresses literacy crisis in Kansas City (January 10, 2023)

KCTV 5 News Concern grows over school reading levels in Kansas City, Missouri (January 9, 2023)

KMBC 9 News KMBC 9 Cares for Kids Editorial (January 6, 2023)

Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Lead to Read KC Partners with Local Businesses to Build Foundation for STEM Careers (December 8, 2022)

Press Release Patrick Mahomes names Lead to Read KC Executive Director Community MVP (December 7, 2022)

KMBC 9 News Patrick Mahomes donates thousands of books to Kansas City schools as part of his reading initiative (December 6, 2022)

FOX 4 News Kansas City Chiefs’s Patrick Mahomes issues reading challenge to young fans (November 28, 2022)

KCTV 5 News KC program looks to reverse trends of virtual learning’s effects on young students (November 21, 2022)

KSHB 41 News Lead to Read KC equips Kansas City’s youngest readers for educational success (November 3, 2022)

The Pitch  Lead to Read KC improves literacy across elementary students, celebrates 1000th volunteer  (November 3, 2022)

Press Release  Lead to Read KC Partners with Local Businesses to Build Foundations for STEM Careers (October 27, 2022)

Press Release  Area Football Teams Join Forces with Patrick Mahomes to Support Children’s Literacy (October 20, 2022)

KSHB 41 News Lead to Read KC featured in segment Going 360: Improving literacy begins with giving a child a book (September 6 2022)

Press Release  KC Streetcar and Lead to Read KC partner for Ride & Read Along Event July 22  (July 19, 2022)

The Kansas City Star  Help readers  (July 14, 2022)

Press Release  Lead to Read KC and MO Hives KC Host “Books and Bees” Event June 26  (June 22, 2022)

KMBC 9 News  Lead to Read KC advances student literacy by supporting social, emotional & reading skills  (June 9, 2022)

KCPS Our Voice Magazine  Lead to Read KC is featured as a Partner In Education  (View the entire magazine here; the article is on page 14.)  (June 2022)

KC Studio Magazine  A prescription for pandemic recovery  (The article is on page 72.)  (May 2022)

The Kansas City Beacon  KC program uses mentorship to improve kids’ reading skills and love for books  (April 20, 2022)

Press Release  Lead to Read KC partners with Mayor Quinton Lucas to raise awareness of critical need for literacy volunteers  (Feb. 7, 2022)

KMBC Weekday Evening News  Lead to Read KC literacy program looking for volunteer mentors  (Jan. 14, 2022)

KC Cares Podcast  Ruth Baum Bigus of KC Cares interviews Lead to Read KC Executive Director Pauly Hart  (Jan. 14, 2022)

Fox4 News  Local group helping kids learn to read looking for more volunteers  (Jan. 5, 2022)

KMBC Weekday Evening News  Patrick Mahomes has teamed up with Kansas City’s largest volunteer literacy program  (Oct. 28, 2021)

Fox4 News  Patrick Mahomes has special message for kids to encourage them to read  (Oct. 28, 2021)

Fox4 News  Number 15 is key to reading  (Oct. 26, 2021)

Press Release  15 and the Mahomies Team Up with Lead to Read KC and Rotary Club of Overland Park To Distribute 25K Books to Local Schools  (Oct. 25, 2021)

KMBC Weekday Evening News  Lead to Read KC expands to partner with local businesses in Kansas City  (Oct. 11, 2021)

Press Release  Lead to Read KC launches Reading Is Everywhere(SM) community book distribution initiative  (Oct. 6, 2021)

The Kansas City Star  Here’s how to get involved in Kansas City-area anti-crime efforts  (Oct. 1, 2021)

The Kansas City Star  Letter to the Editor – Improving literacy skills helps keep children safe  (Sept. 30, 2021)

Wed KC  Chart a charitable course for your marriage, featuring Lead to Read KC  (Fall 2021)

Press Release  Lead to Read KC Partners with KC Streetcar and Local Children’s Book Author for Sept. 18 PARK(ing) Day Festival  (Sept. 13, 2021)

KMBC Weekday Evening News  Editorial featuring Lead to Read KC  (Aug. 27, 2021)

KMBC Weekday Evening News  Literacy program finds new ways to get books into children’s lives  (Aug. 25, 2021)

The Independent  Lead to Read KC Reading Mentor and Friend of Lead to Read KC Leader Danny Ritz named to the 2021 Class of Rising Stars  (June 24, 2021)

Caring for KC Podcast  Pauly Hart, Executive Director of Lead to Read KC, is a guest on Darron Story’s podcast  (February 2021)

The Independent  Danny Ritz, Lead to Read KC Reading Mentor and Friend of Lead to Read KC Leader, named to The Independent’s 2021 Class or Rising Stars  (Feb. 19, 2021)

The Pitch  Lead to Read KC is finding the right words to build a tomorrow  (Feb. 10, 2021)

Press Release  Lead to Read KC announces new board appointments (Jan. 7, 2021)

Press Release  Lead to Read KC is one of 15 organizations receiving a grant from the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation  (Dec. 10, 2020)

Grow KC, a Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Magazine  Help a child improve their life over your lunch break  (October 2020)

Storytellers Podcast  Bookmarks and Benchmarks: Childhood Literacy – Pauly Hart, Executive Director of Lead to Read KC, is a guest on Haley Harrison’s podcast  (October 2020)

The Independent Magazine  Cheers to Volunteers: Alane Watts, Lead to Read KC Reading Mentor  (Oct. 17, 2020)

KMBC Weekday Evening News  Literacy as a deterrent to violence  (Oct. 1, 2020)

KMBC Weekday Evening News  Lead to Read KC’s new digital reading and mentoring program  (Sept. 30, 2020)

KMBC Weekday Evening News  Celebrating diversity in childhood literature  (Sept. 30, 2020)

Free2Learn Podcast  Pauly Hart, Executive Director of Lead to Read KC, is a guest on the Freedom Interiors podcast  (Sept. 9, 2020)

State Your Line: A Kansas City Podcast  The Ritz brothers talk with Pauly Hart, Executive Director of Lead to Read KC  (Aug. 10, 2020)

Banking on KC Podcast  Lead to Read KC: Changing Lives, One Lunch Hour at a Time  (April 15, 2020)

KSHB Evening News  Lead to Read KC helps restaurants, families in need  (April 14, 2020)

Press Release  Lead to Read KC creates Feed the Need to Read to benefit local restaurants and its reading program  (April 13, 2020)

Press Release  Lead to Read KC receives inaugural grant funding from the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation  (Nov. 27, 2019)

101 The Fox  Lead to Read KC Executive Director Pauly Hart recognized by Blue KC and KCFX/Chiefs Radio Network as Here For Good Hero  (Sept. 21, 2019)

KCPT Ruckus  A toast to Lead to Read KC from Reading Mentor Patrick Tuohey  (Sept. 15, 2019)

KMBC Weekday Evening News  Students share kindness across the state line  (Sept. 3, 2019)

KMBC Weekday Evening News  Volunteers and teacher say Lead to Read KC program makes a difference  (Aug. 27, 2019)

KMBC Weekday Evening News  KCPD helps mentor youth with Lead to Read KC program  (Aug. 20, 2019)

KMBC Weekday Evening News  Volunteering 1 hour a week with Lead to Read makes a big difference in child literacy  (Aug. 14, 2019)

KMBC Weekday Evening News  Program helps elementary students become avid readers  (Aug. 6, 2019)

KMBC Weekday Evening News  Editorial: Lead to Read KC  (Aug. 2, 2019)

KMBC Weekday Evening News  Lead to Read KC hosts annual year-end celebration  (May 9, 2019)

KCPT Kids  Lead to Read KC launches “Just Like a Hero” author visit program in schools to promote self-esteem and coping skills (May 8, 2019)

KSHB Weekday Morning News  Program hopes reading means safer future (March 21, 2019)

Kansas City Live – KSHB 41  Lead to Read KC inspires kids to read  (March 18, 2019)

Press Release  Lead to Read KC organizes author visits to schools to promote self-esteem and coping skills  (Feb. 13, 2019)

KMBC – Keleigh Gibbs reporting  (April 5, 2018)

NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt  (March 20, 2018)

KSHB 41  (July 5, 2017)

Leawood Lifestyle Magazine p. 42-43 (April 2016)

Worth-It Films Produced Video

Kansas City Star  (May 31, 2015)

KCPT video  (May 28, 2015)

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