What is Readingpals? ReadingPals offers volunteers an opportunity to build meaningful relationships with children in voluntary prekindergarten (VPK) while helping them improve their social-emotional development and early literacy skills. ReadingPals is a statewide early literacy initiative that provides volunteer mentors for students who may need extra help, utilizing one-on-one or small group settings. ReadingPals is managed by The Children’s Movement of Florida and administered through 20+ programs across the state of Florida.
What do we hope to achieve?
Early Literacy: Improve students' vocabulary and understanding of the fundamental building blocks of early literacy.
Mentorship: Strengthen confidence, self-awareness and empathy through a consistent relationship between mentors and students.
Love of Reading: Reinforce a love of reading with high-quality books and engaging activities.
Where are ReadingPals located?
We have several sites throughout Okaloosa and Walton counties. Our 2026-27 sites are:
Bright Stars Childcare (Shalimar)
Early Foundations Learning Academy (Crestview)
Eglin Air Force Base Library (Base access is required)
First Christian Preschool (DeFuniak Springs)
Grow With Us (Crestview)
Grow With Us (Fort Walton Beach)
Grow With Us (Freeport)
Tall Pines Preschool (Santa Rosa Beach)
Why ReadingPals?
As of 2025, only 43% of children in Florida are considered ready for kindergarten.* Locally, 59% of children in Okaloosa County and 53% in Walton County were not considered ready*, meaning the majority of children in our community are starting school already behind.
According to the latest Florida FAST results, 57% of students statewide are reading at or above grade level, leaving about 43% still below grade level.
Florida is home to more than 1.3 million early learners ages 0–5*, a critical window for brain development and lifelong learning.
More than 380,000 children are served through publicly funded early learning programs*, yet gaps in readiness remain, underscoring the need for additional early literacy support and mentoring.
Because of ReadingPals, during the 2025–26 program year:
2,796 students were matched with 1,622 volunteer mentors across Florida.*
419 classrooms in 23 counties benefited from ReadingPals.*
Students participated in an average of 15 reading sessions and took home an average of 17 books to build their home libraries.*
62% of ReadingPals mentors are returning volunteers, with 35% of returning volunteers serving for three years or more.*
Behind every number is a child building skills, confidence, and a love of reading with the support of a caring volunteer mentor. And that’s why ReadingPals matters.
It's easy to be a ReadingPal. All ReadingPals volunteers complete a quick background check and training before getting started. From there, you can choose the opportunity that best fits your schedule.
Each week — or every other week — you’ll set aside 30 or 60 minutes to read with your ReadingPal. In-person volunteers visit a local school to spend time with their student, and all books, activities, and materials are provided.
If you’re volunteering on your own, you’ll be paired with the same student (or small group) each week, allowing you to build a consistent, meaningful connection. If you’d like to volunteer with a friend, you can team up to support a group of young readers together in a local classroom or after-school program.
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Searching for new reads to enjoy with your ReadingPal? Explore a collection of 25 digital books instantly on the BookSmart App! Read anywhere, anytime – all for free. Thanks to a collaborative initiative by the Florida Grade-Level Reading Campaign (FACCT) and Worldreader.
Ready to become a ReadingPal? Interested in becoming a ReadingPal? That's great!
Fill out our ReadingPals Volunteer Application and pick your volunteer site today... there's a child waiting for YOU.
Need more information?
Not sure if ReadingPals is right for you? Or would you like to explore other volunteer opportunities? Simply fill out our Volunteer Interest form below and we will contact you. Or feel free to reach out to us at impact@united-way.org.
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