Volunteer

Volunteers are a critical part of our mission as we aim to build relationships between children and their loved ones through the read-aloud experience.  We have many unique volunteer opportunities around San Diego County.  Whether you’re interested in reading out loud to families in homeless shelters, filming grandparents as they read to their grandchildren from a distance, or conducting workshops with the incarcerated population–we are so grateful for your interest in supporting our cause! 

Volunteer Opportunities
with Reading Legacies

Book Bridges Program at County Jails

Facilitate workshops with parents and grandparents who are incarcerated, emphasizing the value of reading to kids and teaching effective read-aloud techniques.  Then, conduct recordings of each participant reading–these are sent to their children and loved ones at home! 

 Storybook Inspirations Program in libraries and retirement residences

Spend time coaching and recording local seniors as they read stories and share personal memories with the special children in their lives who will be watching their video–for many years to come!  Help provide a cherished gift to their grandchildren and loved ones.

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We are looking for the following volunteer positions:

Book Bridges Workshop Facilitator

In this role, you will have the opportunity to empower parents (and other family members) who are incarcerated and separated from their child(ren) to connect to the child in a positive manner through workshops. By volunteering with us inside correctional facilities, you will guide the workshop and video record the participants reading a storybook for their child(ren). The recording is sent home in a link and the same book is mailed via USPS. By watching their parents read aloud to them, healthy parent-child interactions are provided at a time when this may be impossible for these children in any other way. Click here to learn more about this opportunity.

First Teachers Program Ambassador

This special role is open to adult volunteers who are also firm believers in the Reading Legacies mission. The First Teachers program is designed to empower and encourage parents as their child’s first and most important teacher through fun read-aloud sessions and discussions to follow. As an ambassador you would help with set up, registration, and promotion during our monthly Family Story Hour events. Click here to learn more about this opportunity.

First Teachers Program Read-Aloud Facilitator

Has reading positively impacted your life? Are you comfortable with reading to a group of children? Do you admire the mission of Reading Legacies? Our goal is to communicate the value of reading aloud with children to our program participants, families, and community members. Reading Legacies hosts regular read-aloud sessions outside our Story Corner at Liberty Station in Barracks 15. By reading a story and sharing about the value of reading in your own life, your read-aloud will effectively communicate the unique mission of Reading Legacies. For this role, we’re looking to engage adult volunteers who are willing to encourage others to read with their children. Click here to learn more about this opportunity.

Storybook Inspirations Program Facilitator

Storybooks and grandparents—need we say more? Come and help us create a grandparent’s (or other important adult’s) read-aloud video at our Story Corner, public libraries and senior centers here in San Diego County. You’ll spend time coaching and videotaping local seniors as they read stories and share personal memories with the children who will be watching their video. Your time and efforts will allow these seniors to give what is sure to be a cherished gift to their grandchildren. You are helping us create “reading legacies” across San Diego County and beyond! Click here to learn more about this opportunity.

Youth Community Advocate

Adult community advocate volunteers serve as role models for Youth Readers programs across San Diego County. As a Youth Community Advocate, you will encourage the youth volunteers as good readers with exemplary behavior and commitment to the young children with whom they are reading. Click here to learn more about this opportunity.

To inquire about volunteering, we invite you to fill out the form below.

Thank you!

Nicole Vargas

My name is Nicole Vargas. I joined the Reading Legacies team in January 2023. I have a BA in Child Development from Point Loma Nazarene University and 6 years’ experience working with children from ages infancy to adolescence. My role as the Storybook Readers Program Manager is to oversee the programing and implementation of our Youth Readers and Storybook Inspirations programs. As a child development professional, I have firsthand experience seeing the immense impact that reading aloud to children has on their early literacy skills and relationship building within the family and community. One of my favorite children’s books is If You Give A Mouse A Cookie by Laura Numeroff.