Everyone needs and deserves a literate life.

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Our Mission:

Changing lives through adult literacy.

Our Vision:

A community in which all adults have a literate life.

The Facts

A mother’s reading skill is the greatest determinant of her children’s future academic success, outweighing other factors, such as neighborhood and family income.

$106 – $238 BILLION a year in health care costs are linked to low literacy.

32%

of READ students have a high school diploma or equivalent.

More than 100,000 adults in Metro Richmond lack basic literacy skills.

59 MILLION adults in the United States cannot read, write, or do basic math above a third-grade level.

Bringing all adults to the equivalent of a sixth-grade reading level would generate an additional $2.2 TRILLION in annual income for the country.

A Snapshot of the 2026 School Year

(September 2025 – July 2026)

Total Number of Students

312

Volunteer Hours Served

12,612

Total Number of Tutors

196

Value of Volunteer Hours served:

$466,517*

Total Instructional Hours

14,271

Students Who Advanced a Grade Level

98

*Source: Independentsector.org

In addition to improved reading skills, students experienced:

  • Increased confidence and self-esteem

  • Increased civic engagement and independence, e.g., receiving a driver's license or registering to vote

  • Strengthened family literacy and generational love of reading

  • Improved navigation of health institutions e.g., understanding health professionals, prescription details, and medical information

  • Improved skills needed for the workplace

Student Experiences

Media

  • “The teachers and tutors are very patient and encouraging. They find out what part stops you from getting it right, and they show you the right way to do it.”

    — READ RVA Student

  • “I am more convinced than ever that everyone is capable of learning to read and that it is never too late. I am grateful to have the opportunity to support students on their reading journey.”

    — Renee Purdy, Volunteer Literacy Tutor

  • “I appreciate all that the donors give. I really do. Because I couldn’t have done this by myself. And for free? I just thank everybody who donates, everybody that helps, thank you.”

    — READ RVA Student

  • “Our students are some of the bravest and most resilient people I know.”

    — Debbie Amos, volunteer literacy tutor

  • “It’s been a great journey and I know the journey is not over yet. I still have a long way to go and I’m willing to embrace it, to endure, to finish it.”

    — READ RVA Student

  • “Hearing my students read fluently and watching them actively advance their skills is immensely gratifying and inspires me to work harder.”

    — Devi Veeramgari

  • “I want to write a new script for my life. I’m doing this for me, for my kids.”

    — READ RVA Student