History
Started in 2004 at the request of the Coachella Valley Unified School District Superintendent of Schools, Roberta and Clay Klein started a fund at the Desert Community Foundation and asked the pastor of their church for his assistance in recruiting volunteers. Father Howard Lincoln of Sacred Heart Church readily agreed. The District had been using English speaking volunteers to the extent, they could get them to go into the schools in the district that had no English speaking people in the community. Roberta asked the Superintendent if he would provide buses if they could recruit volunteers who were fluent in English through churches and other organizations.
Read With Me was born and now brings volunteers from seven churches to five different schools. The schools are all in areas of high poverty with a majority of the parents untrained in academic English. They love their children but cannot help them with English.
In 2013, Read With Me received a Golden Bell Award for English Acquisition from the California School Board Association. We believe the program is totally replicable in other areas that face similar challenges in providing tutoring and mentoring for disadvantaged children in a classroom setting.
What we do
In the classroom, the teacher assigns individual volunteers to selected students to listen to them read, assisting them with pronunciation and comprehension. The mentor/tutors are typically retired part-time Coachella Valley residents, some with special skills who help specific students go beyond the basic.
Read With Me
Honored with the Golden Bell award for English Acquisition by the California School Board Association and the 2022 GuideStar Silver Seal of Transparency
Volunteer Programs
IN MEMORY OF...
Read With Me Volunteers has received many donations in memory of some of our wonderful volunteers who have passed. We honor their memory and are forever grateful for their contribution to our organization.
IN MEMORY/HONOR OF:
DONATED BY:
2024
In Memory of Connie Lighthill (Donated by) Joan Smeal
To make a contribution in Connie Lighthill's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
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In Honor of Lynn Baersch's Retirement (Donated by) Jay Horowitz
(Cathedral City)
To make a contribution in Lynn Baersch's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In Memory of Connie Purvis Lighthill (Oasis Volunteer)
To make a contribution in Connie Purvis's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In Honor of CATHEDRAL CITY ELEMENTARY (Donated by) Sheila Freeman,
Kevin Baldwin, & Curt Mattos
To make a contribution in Cathedral City Elementary's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
2023
In Memory of Dean Crider - Palm View Volunteer
To make a contribution in Dean Crider's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In Memory of William Tindall - Palm View Volunteer To make a contribution in William Tindall's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In Honor of THE KLEINS (Donated by) Anne T. Hetland To make a contribution in Sheila's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In Honor of SHEILA FREEMAN (Donated by) Marjie & Bernie Weinstein & Lynne & Norm Margolin
To make a contribution in Sheila's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In Honor of LOUISE CUMMINGS'S Birthday (Donated by) Karen Collingwood
To make a contribution in Louise's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In Honor of LOUISE CUMMINGS'S Birthday (Donated by) Betty Davidow
To make a contribution in Louise's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In Honor of RON SNOW's Birthday (Donated by) Jolene Shapiro To make a contribution in Ron's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In Memory of B. Engelhardt (Donated by) Alan & Joan Leider To make a contribution in B. Englehardt's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In Memory of B. Engelhardt (Donated by) Jack & Hermine Lewis To make a contribution in B. Englehardt's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In Honor of ROBERTA KLEIN (Donated by) Louise Cummings To make a contribution in Roberta's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In Honor of WENDY WRIGHT (Donated by) Nanci Sheppard
To make a contribution in Wendy's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In Honor of our
Dear Friend CURT MATTOS (Donated by) Bruce Finch & Keith Reimann
To make a contribution in Curt's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
To recognize CARLA ABELL and the
work she does with RWM (Donated by) David & Evelyn Friesen
To make a contribution in Carla's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In Honor of ANDY & DAN GIOVANNITTI (Donated by) Michael McCarty
To make a contribution in Sandy & Dan's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In honor of PATRICIA HAGEN (Donated by) Patricia Hagen
To make a contribution in Patricia's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In honor of
KEVIN BALDWIN'S 65th birthday (Donated by)
Amy Daniels
To make a contribution in Kevin's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In honor of LOUISE CUMMINGS'S birthday (Donated by) Erin Curtis
To make a contribution in Louise's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In honor of WENDY WRIGHT (Donated by)
Nanci Sheppard
To make a contribution in Wendy's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In honor of our friend CURT MATTOS (Donated by)
Bruce Finch & Keith
Reimann
To make a contribution in Curt's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In recognition of good work, CARLA ABELL (Donated by)
David & Evelyn Friesen
To make a contribution in recognition of Carla's good work, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In honor of SANDY & DAN GIOVANNITTI (Donated by)
Michael McCarty
To make a contribution in Sandy and Dan's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In honor of MARGE HARALSON (Donated by)
Patricia Hagen
To make a contribution in Patricia's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In honor of ROBERTA AND CLAY KLEIN (Donated by)
Tom Connelly
Louise Cummings
To make a contribution in Roberta and Clay's honor, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In recognition of ALMA GUTIERREZ (for John Kelley ES) Darrell & Christine Cozen
To make a contribution in recognition of Alma, please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
In memory of MARIAN T. LEBLANC (Donated by)
Robert J. LeBlanc
To make a contribution in Marian's memory,
please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
CHESTER "CHET" KUCINSKI (In memory of)
(for Saul Martinez ES) Annie Wittenberg
Emily Taylor
Gloria Ofcharsky
Helen Cola
Lisa Merkel Kennedy
Sean Santos
André Pagotto
Joanne Brown
Carla Kucinski
Arlene Kucinski
Tina Tran
Horst Engel
Eugene & Christine
Schweitzer
Anthony Moody
Maria & Richard Feliciano
To make a contribution in Chet's memory,
please click here and email readwithmerachel@gmail.com
2022
WALTER EDWARD "BUD" HOSSFELD, JR. (In memory of)
(for Mecca ES) Kim Hemingway
Dana Viernes
Carl Varner
David Calhoon
BARBARA ENGELHARDT (In memory of)
(for Palm View ES) Dr. Herbert Engelhardt
Ursel Zmaila
Lorrain Meedham
Bertha Martin
Jeanne Reid
Gerhard Schurg
Hans Trost
Ann Hugger
Tommy Shimer
Jack & Hermine Lewis
Alan & Joan Leider
Jon & Cindy Klinkman
Dr. Neal & Carolyn Roth
Thomas & Cheryl Reddy
Jack & Hermine Lewis
2021
BOB PIKE Melkus Family Foundation
SUMMER RAE AUSTIN John & Judy Austin
PAUL L. URIOSTE Rachel Luiz & Read With Me
John Manesis Sun City Writers Circle
2020
ROBERT BAERSCH Karin & Brock Loen
Keri & Andrew Hollenbeck
Lynn Baersch
Read With Me
Penny & Dick Wrobel
Susan and Ron Moore
Les Mendelson
Carla & Hugh Creegan
Michael Flory
Hugh & Carla Ceegan
DIDI OWENS ( In Honor of ) Elizabeth & Kevin Fagan
MARION LEBLANC Judith Pankoff
2019
JOAN FERRARI
Read With Me Volunteer & Supporter.
Shelly & Dan Barsani
Suzzanne Sidensol
Richard & Genevieve Rolla
Raymond J. Triplett
Clairborne Jones
Kimberly & Skip Klintworth
Donald and Therese McNeil
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2014-2018
EDMUND CAREY
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MARIAN LE BLANC
FAITH SCHELLINGER
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CHARLES LANGERSTROM
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VARLYN FINK
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GEORGE DIXON
LARRY FAGAN
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SALLY DAVIS
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GLEN PRESLEY
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MELINDA RILEY
ANNA RUGGERI
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ROBERT LE BLANC
DIANE BURNS
KIRSTEN DOWELL
JANE MURPHY
CINDY LEWIS
CHERYL MURPHY
MARY ELLEN BERRY
JANET ANWEILER
ARI CRANDALL
CAROL STARKEY
DEBORAH JOHNSON
JUDITH FASCIANA
SACRED HEART
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DAVID & MICHELLE STONE
MICHAEL, ROBERTA, ERIC & JAMES LANGERSTROM
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SUE & WALLY TORKELLS
BOB & LINDA RISHEL
CARLTON THOMASY
CONNIE LAMBERT
KIMBERLEY FRANKLIN
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DORIS ZIEMERA
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ROBERTA
JOHN & SUSAN HALE
PETE DEL RIO
KAREN BLAESI
MARILYN PAIGE
MARY SKUBIK
CUNNINGHAM & CO.
CARLEEN PRESELY
KAREN MILLIKEN
BARBARA & LARRY WHITE
LARRY & GAIL ARNOFF
KATHY COPLEN
DAN & SHERIDAN STRACENER
MARY LOUISE SELLE
TERRANCE MESSERERMAN DDS
CAROL STEERE
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THOM & ANN NORBURY
JUDITH WOLOWITZ
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