Read With Me Volunteer Programs was founded in 2004 by visionaries Roberta and Clay Klein, who sought to improve the lives of underprivileged children from Spanish-speaking families in the eastern Coachella Valley. It was a small nonprofit organization with a lofty goal: to recruit volunteers to improve these kids’ reading skills and give them a chance to navigate the local educational system with greater ease.
RWM formed an invaluable partnership with the Riverside County Office of Education a few years ago, and now, along with guidance and support from Executive Director Sean Webb, the significance of its mission is nearly limitless. Expansion is in RWM’s future. It currently provides volunteers to 29 local schools with two additional schools in Nevada. It anticipates that up to 1,000 volunteers will have dedicated more than 17,000 hours by the end of the year.
The volunteers are assigned to a specific grade level of their choosing and work under the teacher’s direction with children in small groups or one-on-one. The teacher selects the children and the materials to be used. The children read to the volunteer, who helps with pronunciation and comprehension by asking questions. Children love individual attention from adults, and teachers appreciate the extra help as it is challenging for them to provide the necessary one-on-one attention to the kids.
Students who receive support from dedicated volunteers don’t just make progress — they consistently achieve significantly greater academic gains than their peers. Across schools and grade levels, volunteer-assisted students improve their reading skills by 70-90% according to i-Ready scores from the Coachella Valley Unified School District. This signifies nearly twice as much progress compared to students without one-on-one volunteer support.
These impressive results demonstrate that volunteers are far more than an added resource; they are a vital force in helping students succeed.
Recently, RWM was invited to participate as one of four local nonprofits at the 2026 Citi conference for Personal Banking Leaders in Excellence Awards & Recognition for the Community Action Activity, which included 250 Citi leaders at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert. Volunteers sorted 6,000 books, stuffed 600 folders, built 10 bookshelves and supplied RWM with 50 large plush pillows for reading corners.
One of the highlights of the conference was Webb’s motivating presentation, which earned him a standing ovation. He shared his personal background and the importance of early intervention as a Korean American kid in a household where Korean was the primary language. Webb credits two reading specialists for changing the trajectory of his life as they worked with him to improve his reading skills. Therefore, he easily identifies with RWM’s mission.
“On behalf of Read With Me Volunteer Programs, I want to thank Citi and their partner Mexico Giveaways for including us in Community Action Day,” Webb said. “We were honored to participate along with community partners committed to making a positive impact and demonstrating the power of leading by example, bringing people together in service.”
For more information about Read With Me Volunteer Programs and volunteer opportunities, visit readwithmevolunteer.org or call 760-567-1830. Read With Me is a proud partner with the Riverside County Office of Education Literacy by 5th Grade Initiative.
DeAnn Lubell, writer, novelist and publicist, has represented nonprofits and businesses in the areas of marketing, event planning and fundraising productions in the Coachella Valley since 1991. She is a PR and marketing representative for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley and Read With Me Volunteer Programs as well as her own nonprofit Amy’s Purpose, an educational pet safety and predator awareness service and Animal Science COD Partnership and Community Education Veterinary Assistant Scholarship program.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: The impact of Read With Me Volunteer Programs
Reporting by DeAnn Lubell, Special to The Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By DeAnn Lubell, Special to The Desert Sun | USA TODAY Network
