The READ Center

We are so thrilled to be celebrating our students after a stellar year of programming!

⭐RSVPs have closed⭐ but check out event details below if you or your guests need a reminder!

When: Saturday, July 27th, 9:30AM-12:00PM

Where: Guzman Community Center at The Faison Center

5311 Markel Rd, Richmond VA, 23230

Who: Students. Tutors, Teachers, and Special Guests

Cant wait to see you there!

Extra! Extra! READ all about it! 📢The READ Center has a book club!📚
READ Out Loud, created and named by students and led by a graduated student as well as a few of our tutors, has just completed their first book: The Way It Works, by William Kowalski.
This initial pilot program included eight 1-hour sessions, where students of all levels engaged in round robin style reading and open discussion about the book in a supportive environment.
With the success of this pilot, we are excited to announce that we will be opening up READ Out Loud to more students and tutors this coming fall!
Keep an eye out to see what we will be reading next! 👀

A Moveable Feast is only a couple months away and we're on the look out for exciting donations for our auction! Help us make this year's event the best yet by donating items or experiences like a weekend getaway, tickets to classes/events around the area, or other opportunities for fun and relaxation.

Have an item or experience in mind? Reach out to us at [email protected] by August 30th!

Rotarians Campbell Pendleton and Drew Klammer had the honor of delivering a check to The Read Center! This year, they have doubled the number of people they served compared to last year. What an incredible impact! Their new classrooms look amazing, and we are proud to support the The READ Center.

📢TWO WEEKS left to get your early bird tickets!📢 Only $75! Get yours before July 19th!

✨Join us for a night to remember at the 2nd annual A Moveable Feast: 40 Years of READ, presented by CoStar Group, on September 19, 2024, at the Library of Virginia!✨

Experience wine tastings, delicious food, live jazz, an exciting auction and more — all in honor of The READ Center's 40th anniversary and the transformative power of literacy.

🎟️After July 19, attendee registration increases to $100.00/ticket. Exciting sponsorship opportunities are available!

➡️Register online as an attendee or sponsor and celebrate 40 years with us this fall at bit.ly/amf24.

https://readcenter.org/a-moveable-feast/

Thank you for the incredible support so far on our Summer Book Wish List! We are so close to our goal - we only need 16 more books! Help us reach it by Friday, July 12th. Here is the link to our wish list: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/T9NX36CVHAAS?ref_=wl_share

Here are two more ways to donate to The READ Center: Walmart Spark Good Round Up and Kroger Community Rewards - both are quick and easy ways to round up when shopping to support our program!

Follow these links to learn more:
https://www.walmart.com/nonprofits/76aaab4c-03d9-4255-8ba3-93a409ea8fc9/profile
https://www.kroger.com/i/community/community-rewards

We’re featured in Target Circleᵀᴹ, place a vote for us in the Target app.

Here’s how:
Step 1: Choose “My Target” in the Target app
Step 2: Tap on “Target Circleᵀᴹ”
Step 3: Select “Vote for nonprofits”
Step 4: Find us & vote!

Help support us with Target Circleᵀᴹ! Cast your votes by September 30, 2024!

📣📣The READ Center needs more Volunteer Adult Literacy Tutors📣📣

Join us on Tuesday, July 9th, between 4:30pm and 6:30pm for a drop-in info session at the Fairfield Library (1401 N Laburnum Ave, Richmond, VA 23223). Interested volunteers are welcome to come by for a snack and to chat with current READ tutors and staff!

Already volunteering with us? Tell some friends! Our best recruiters are current volunteers😊

Can't make the info session but still interested in tutoring? You can learn more & sign up to volunteer at: https://readcenter.org/volunteer-opportunities

Interested in FREE Reading Classes for adults? 📚Come to our New Student Open House - drop by The READ Center on Thursday, July 11th from 4:30pm to 6:00pm to find out more about our program. Have a snack and chat with current students, tutors, and teachers! Our address is 5211 West Broad Street, Suite 102, Richmond, VA 23230 - located on the GRTC Pulse Bus Line!

🎆Have a safe and happy Fourth of July! ✨The READ Center will be closed in observance of Independence day on Thursday, July 4th, and Friday, July 5th. We will be open for normal business hours on Monday, July 8th.

Maximize your impact to The READ Center this year! When you make your donation through presented by TowneBank, we receive an additional 10%. Donate before October 20 at https://p2p.onecause.com/dominionbfc/charity/the-read-center-reading-and-education-for-adult-development

☀️Support Summer Reading! 📚 Each summer, our teachers give each of their students a book at the end of the semester as a reward for all their hard work and to encourage reading over their summer break. This year we are hoping to provide 91 books by July 12, 2024. You can help us reach this goal by purchasing books from our Summer Reading List on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/T9NX36CVHAAS?ref_=wl_share

✨Join us for a night to remember at the 2nd annual A Moveable Feast: 40 Years of READ, presented by CoStar Group, on September 19, 2024, at the Library of Virginia!✨

Experience wine tastings, delicious food, live jazz, an exciting auction and more — all in honor of The READ Center's 40th anniversary and the transformative power of literacy.

🎟️Early Bird registration is now available at $75.00/ticket from June 17-July 19. After July 19, attendee registration increases to $100.00/ticket. Exciting sponsorship opportunities are available!

➡️Register online as an attendee or sponsor and celebrate 40 years with us this fall at bit.ly/amf24.

https://readcenter.org/a-moveable-feast/

The READ Center will be closed on Wednesday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth.
Read more about this important holiday here: https://henrico.us/history/recent-history/juneteenth/

☀️Summer Hours☀️
Every Friday between Memorial Day (5/27) and Labor Day (9/2), The READ Center will be closing at 2pm. Monday - Thursday hours will remain the same at 9am-5pm.

📸Throwback Thursday! 🍂
This past fall, Don's class took a walking tour of the magnificent Maymont Park after learning about native Richmond trees and how to identify them. From investigating the herb garden through touch and smell, to experiencing the beauty of the Italian and Japanese gardens, our students had an amazing time immersing themselves in nature for the day. They were even lucky enough to see the famous Little Bear, who was out and about on the day they visited! Shout-out to Maymont for being such an incredible green space in RVA 💙

We will be closed for Memorial Day Weekend, from Friday, May 24th until Monday, May 27th. We will re-open on Tuesday, May 28th. We hope you have a safe and wonderful holiday!

🎉 Exciting adventures with The READ Center's READ for Life class! 🎉 This past Tuesday, we hopped on the GRTC Pulse bus line and took a field trip to Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken.🍗

Our READ for Life class, designed to support students with cognitive differences, focuses on achieving personal goals and gaining essential life skills through adult literacy. From learning to navigate public transportation to managing money, we’re dedicated to fostering independence and confidence.🌟

Thank you, Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken and GRTC Pulse for making this outing a memorable and enriching experience! 🙌

📚 Join Our Team at The READ Center! 📚

🌟 Do you believe in the power of literacy to transform lives? The READ Center is seeking a dedicated Development Manager to help us continue our mission of empowering adults through education.

📝 As our Development Manager, you'll spearhead fundraising efforts, cultivate relationships with donors and partners, and drive initiatives to support our programs and services.

🤝 If you're passionate about making a difference in your community, possess strong communication and organizational skills, and have experience in fundraising or nonprofit development, we want to hear from you!

💻If you're interested, send your resume and cover letter to [email protected] by Friday, June 7th, 2024

Reflecting on a week filled with gratitude for our incredible READ Center teachers! ❤️ We couldn't do what we do without their dedication to adult literacy. They're the guiding lights, the champions of knowledge, and the heartbeats of our community. Their passion fuels our students' dreams, and their unwavering commitment shapes brighter futures. To our amazing READ Center teachers – thank you for being the pillars of strength, the advocates of learning, and the unsung heroes of literacy. Here's to you! 📚✨

📚✨ Celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week with heartfelt gratitude to The Read Center's incredible educators! Your dedication to adult literacy transforms lives and opens doors to endless possibilities. Thank you for your unwavering commitment! 🙌

🏆 Drumroll, please! 🥁 Congratulations to the brainiacs of The Great Richmond Trivia Bee:
1st Place 🥇 Redd Foxx Danger
2nd Place 🥈 Our Jobs Depend On This (come claim your prize! )
3rd Place 🥉 By The Books!
Massive applause to all teams who rocked the house, including the Best Team Name - Comfortably Dumb! 🤓 You're all champions in our book! 🌟260+ trivia enthusiasts, 52 teams, 1 epic night! 🎉 Your support made it possible to raise $23,500 for READ's literacy programs, impacting lives in our community. Let's keep the buzz alive for next year's Bee! 🐝

Gratitude overload! 🙌 It's only been a week since over 260 people came out to Dewey Gottwald Center for the Sciences to participate in The Great Richmond Trivia Bee! A massive THANK YOU to our incredible sponsors (especially Atlantic Union Bank), teams, and supporters who made The Great Richmond Trivia Bee an un-BEE-lievable success! Together, we raised $23,500 to empower literacy in our community. Your generosity will fuel TWO adult literacy classes for a whole year! ❤️📚 Additionally, big thanks to Bryce with Roberts & Co. Events, High Five Trivia, and Party Perfect! We couldn't have done this without you!

🌟Celebrating the heart and soul of our community! ✨ It's Volunteer Appreciation Week at The READ Center, and we're soaking in the joy of celebrating YOU. Yesterday, we threw an unforgettable bash to honor our incredible volunteers at The READ Center. The energy was electric as we celebrated their dedication and passion for literacy. From heartfelt conversations to sparking the love for learning, our volunteers are the heartbeat of our community. 📚💖 Join us as we applaud their unwavering dedication!

🔗 Want to get involved? Visit https://readcenter.org/volunteer-opportunities/ to learn more about The READ Center and how you can join us in making a difference!✨

👏Big applause to Sands Anderson for being a sweet supporter as a Honey Bee Sponsor! 🍯 Tomorrow's the big day, and The READ Center is buzzing with excitement! 🐝 Get ready to put your knowledge to the test and join in on the fun! 🌟 Thanks for helping make it all possible and we hope to see you there! 🎉

🙌Massive thanks to Markel for sweetening the pot as a Honey Bee Sponsor! 🍯 With only 2 days left until The Great Richmond Trivia Bee, it's time to get those buzzer fingers ready and brush up on your knowledge! 🧠 Your support is the key ingredient to our success! 🌟 Let's create some buzz and make this event unforgettable! 🐝

🌟 Celebrating Volunteer Appreciation Week with boundless gratitude for our incredible READ Center volunteers! Your dedication lights up our community and fuels our mission with heart and purpose. Thank you for the countless hours of support and the priceless impact you make every day. 📚💙
🔗 Want to get involved? Visit https://readcenter.org/volunteer-opportunities/ to learn more about The READ Center and how you can join us in making a difference!✨

🌟Big thanks to FloranceGordonBrown, a Professional Corporation for being a Hive Sponsor! 🌟 Your contribution means the world to us at The READ Center and helps us put together amazing events like this! 🐝 With just 3 days left until The Great Richmond Trivia Bee, it's time to dust off those trivia skills and start prepping! 🧠 Let's make this one for the books! 🎉

👏 Big applause to Anne Waleski for being a vital part of our hive as a Swarm Sponsor! 🐝 Your support adds wings to our event and helps us soar higher! 🌟 Thank you for making The Great Richmond Trivia Bee an unforgettable experience! 🎉Hurry, it's the last day to grab your tickets! Don't miss out on the fun! 🎟️ Visit https://readcenter.org/trivia-bee/ to secure your spot!