Prospective reading volunteers will learn how to build success and motivate young readers.

GREENWICH, Conn., September 8, 2022 – The Greenwich United Way will host a Reading Champions Literacy Summit & Volunteer Open House at Greenwich Town Hall on Tuesday, September 20, Noon to 3:00 p.m. The event is open to all interested prospective volunteers and the public to foster a better understanding of literacy development while identifying and meeting the needs of emerging readers.

Joining Greenwich United Way’s David Rabin, Kim Paladino, English Language Arts Coordinator K-8 for Greenwich Public Schools, will share insights on how Reading Champions helps the Greenwich community’s young readers achieve success. Volunteers will provide unique insight on their impact and experiences. Following the presentation will be a Reading Champions volunteer workshop in which participants will receive training focused on successful techniques and best practices that help boost positive outcomes for tutoring sessions.

Reading Champions was founded in 2008 by retired Greenwich Public School teacher and guidance counselor Joan Lowe, who recognized the need for one-on-one literacy programs. With the support of the Greenwich United Way, Lowe developed the program that enables volunteers to teach students how to read and comprehend in ways best suited to their learning styles. Since then, Reading Champions has provided one-on-one and small group reading instruction and tutoring to countless Greenwich Public School elementary students at 11 schools and various after-school programs in town. The program anticipates the participation of approximately 500 students during the 2022-2023 school year.

“Reading Champions is a quintessential program for Greenwich students and families. The program brings together reading specialists with committed volunteers who are trained to provide dedicated reading support, fostering literacy skills and a love of learning in students,” said Cecile Meunier, Program Coordinator for the Greenwich United Way. “After launching as a test run in one Greenwich school 14 years ago, Reading Champions has grown every year and since benefitted thousands of students in town. The program and its devoted volunteers involved are examples of what make Greenwich the exceptional community that it is.”

Reading Champions provides more than 15,000 moments of direct impact between volunteer tutors and elementary students every year. The results are far reaching, including motivating greater reading fluency and inspiring academic confidence to ultimately impact greater student success in the classroom for years to come. Interested volunteers and summit attendees are asked to RSVP to cmeunier@GreenwichUnitedWay.org or 203-869-2256. To learn more about the program, visit https://greenwichunitedway.org/reading-champions/.

About Greenwich United Way

The Greenwich United Way (GUW) shares a name with approximately 1,200 other similar organizations across the nation, although the Greenwich, Connecticut division is a privately incorporated, locally governed, nonprofit agency. As a volunteer-driven organization, the Greenwich United Way exists to help identify and address the health, educational and self-sufficiency needs specific to its local community and to create and affect meaningful, lasting solutions. Through various fundraising efforts and on-going research, the organization is able to directly grant the funds necessary to accomplish this goal. The Greenwich United Way also invests in and conducts collaborative efforts to address broad-based community needs with partnering nonprofit agencies. For more information, visit https://greenwichunitedway.org, or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.