read united
Volunteer registration is now open!

Read United Volunteer Registration

Every child deserves to succeed in school.

You can help get kids on track in school and set them up to achieve now and in the future.

Volunteer opportunities are available at numerous locations on both sides of the river, and new locations are being added periodically.

Select a location below to browse Read United volunteer opportunities for the day, time and school of your choice.

Currently, only 55% of our third-graders can read proficiently.

Students reading on grade level at third grade are five times more likely to graduate from high school — paving the way to higher education, better opportunities in the workforce, and improved health outcomes.

Volunteer Materials

There’s never been a more important time for us to come together to support our Quad Cities’ kids in their education journey. The materials below will aid you in your efforts to make an impact in the success of a student who is struggling to read on grade level.

All About Me – Volunteer

Download

Tips for Reading with Dr. Pandora Lawrence

Download Video

Dr. Pandora Lawrence Reading Instructions

Download

Reading Tips

Download

Volunteer Orientation

Download Video

Volunteer Orientation

Download PDF

All About Me – Volunteer

Download

Tips for Reading with Dr. Pandora Lawrence

Download Video

Dr. Pandora Lawrence Reading Instructions

Download

Reading Tips

Download

Volunteer Orientation

Download Video

Volunteer Orientation

Download PDF

School Calendars 2024 – 2025

Bettendorf

Download

Davenport

Download

East Moline

Download

Moline

Download

Pleasant Valley

Download

Rock Island

Download

Rock Island Academy

Download

School Details and Locations

Bowlesburg

Details | Map

Butterworth

Details | Map

Fillmore

Details | Map

Frances Willard

Details | Map

George O’Barr

Details | Map

Grant Wood

Details | Map

Hamilton

Details | Map

Hoover

Details | Map

Jackson

Details | Map

Jefferson

Details | Map

Lincoln-Irving

Details | Map

Logan

Details | Map

Madison

Details | Map

Neil Armstrong

Details | Map

Paul Norton

Details | Map

Ridgewood

Details | Map

Riverdale Heights

Details | Map

Spring Forward – Rock Island Academy

Details | Map

Spring Forward – RICMS

Details | Map

Spring Forward – Ridgewood RI

Details | Map

Washington

Details | Map

Wells

Details | Map

Hillcrest

Details | Map

Willard

Details | Map

Mark Twain

Details | Map

Spring Forward – Earl Hanson

Details | Map

Helpful Materials

All About Me – Volunteer

Download

Tips for Reading with Dr. Pandora Lawrence

Download Video

Dr. Pandora Lawrence Reading Instructions

Download

Reading Tips

Download

Volunteer Orientation

Download Video

Volunteer Orientation

Download PDF

School Information

School Calendars 2024 – 2025

Bettendorf

Download

Davenport

Download

East Moline

Download

Moline

Download

Pleasant Valley

Download

Rock Island

Download

Rock Island Academy

Download

School Details and Locations

Bowlesburg

Details | Map

Butterworth

Details | Map

Fillmore

Details | Map

Frances Willard

Details | Map

George O’Barr

Details | Map

Grant Wood

Details | Map

Hamilton

Details | Map

Hoover

Details | Map

Jackson

Details | Map

Jefferson

Details | Map

Lincoln-Irving

Details | Map

Logan

Details | Map

Madison

Details | Map

Neil Armstrong

Details | Map

Paul Norton

Details | Map

Ridgewood

Details | Map

Riverdale Heights

Details | Map

Spring Forward – Rock Island Academy

Details | Map

Spring Forward – RICMS

Details | Map

Spring Forward – Ridgewood RI

Details | Map

Washington

Details | Map

Wells

Details | Map

Hillcrest

Details | Map

Willard

Details | Map

Mark Twain

Details | Map

Spring Forward – Earl Hanson

Details | Map

In just 30 minutes a week, you can change a child's future.

Read United is a one-on-one reading program that pairs Quad Cities adult volunteers with elementary kids to read together on a weekly basis for 30 minutes.

The majority of students paired with Read United volunteers are struggling readers facing many barriers. Read United is an opportunity for elementary school students to practice reading and develop literacy skills with a caring adult while building a love of reading.

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Together, we can get our kids back on track.

Reading proficiency is one of the greatest predictors of a child’s success in school and life. When kids fall behind in school, they can miss out on the opportunity to develop their full potential in life.

At United Way, we’re rallying the generous, the dreamers, the changemakers – people like you – to help get our kids on track in school and set them up to achieve now and in the future. And we won’t stop until every third-grader is reading proficiently.

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A program that started in the pandemic, that’s helping reading scores recover.

Reading proficiently by third grade is one of the most important predictors of high school graduation and later career success. Students who are behind in reading by the end of third grade are significantly less likely to graduate from high school.

There are currently more than 3,000 children in third grade who live in Scott and Rock Island Counties.

Third Grade Reading Proficiency in the Quad Cities.

Pre-Pandemic
0%
Pandemic-Era
0%
Current
0%

Third grade students reading proficiently in the Quad Cities

Reading proficiently by third grade is one of the most important predictors of high school graduation and later career success. Students who are behind in reading by the end of third grade are significantly less likely to graduate from high school.

There are currently more than 3,000 children in third grade who live in Scott and Rock Island Counties.

Third grade students reading proficiently in the Quad Cities.

Pre-Pandemic 61%
Pandemic-Era 44%
Current 55%

Reading proficiently by third grade is one of the most important predictors of high school graduation and later career success. Students who are behind in reading by the end of third grade are significantly less likely to graduate from high school.

There are currently more than 3,000 children in third grade who live in Scott and Rock Island Counties.

Change the story of one, change the lives of many.

Together we can be the community where every Quad Citizen, regardless of race or ZIP code, has the access and opportunity to develop their full potential.

Your support will bolster early education, out-of-school literacy programs, parenting classes and mentoring in low-income and marginalized neighborhoods.

Give Today

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Thank you to all the volunteers who helped transform lives through literacy last school year.

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100 +

Students helped in the Quad Cities

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100 +

Quad Citizens volunteered

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1000 +

Hours invested in youth literacy

Invest in Local Children

Together, we’re strengthening education, income and health—the building blocks of opportunity—and setting Quad Cities students up for successful futures. Join us.

A one-time gift of $150 can give an entire Quad Cities Title I classroom of kids books to take home. 

Thank you to our QC Reading Week Sponsor

Special thanks to Hy-Vee for partnering with us during the 2024 QC Reading Week.

Volunteer for Read United

Our popular tutoring program pairs volunteers with young students to read one-on-one, once a week throughout the school year. Help students stay on track in school and build a love of reading. There are over 300 students waiting for you!

Sign Up to Volunteer

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