What We Do

Our Mission

Lead to Read KC’s mission is to support the social, emotional and reading skills that are foundational for student success by advancing our literacy platform and mobilizing community volunteers. View our mission video.

Here’s How It Works

Lead to Read KC is advancing our literacy platform to support students’ social, emotional and reading skills. Our program has four key areas of focus: 

  • Reading and Mentoring Program — We connect trusted, caring adult volunteers (called Reading Mentors) with students in first through third grade, providing students with 30 minutes of one-to-one reading and mentoring support one lunch hour each week.
  • Tutoring Program — Through our partnership with Hoot Reading, we offer personalized tutoring from an experienced, certified classroom teacher three times per week or during the summer. This is a turnkey service to our partner schools designed to lighten the workload on the classroom teachers, and the results are impressive! Learn more. 
  • Reading For Life Author Partnerships — To support students’ social-emotional learning, as well as health and wellness, we have expanded our author visit program. We partner with local authors whose books focus on mental health and wellness for interactive read-alouds and book giveaways. Learn more. 
  • Reading Is EverywhereSM Book Distribution Initiative — We have expanded our reach to get even more books into the hands of young readers! Our community partners now include more than two dozen social service agencies, hair salons, barber shops, restaurants and retailers — making books more accessible to children outside of schools and libraries. Learn more. 

Get Involved

Together, we can achieve Lead to Read KC’s vision: to help Kansas City children build a brighter future.

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