KENTWOOD READ & FEED
Building Stronger Readers and Brighter Futures
Strong reading skills can open doors throughout a child’s education.
At Kentwood, Junior League of Raleigh members work alongside Communities in Schools of Wake County and Read and Feed to help elementary students strengthen literacy skills while receiving academic support, meals, and encouragement.
The placement brings together community partners and JLR volunteers around a shared goal: helping students develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed.
JLR in Action
Approximately 15 JLR members have traditionally volunteered with the learning center each year, serving as tutors, helping provide meals, and building meaningful relationships with students.
Members Help By:
- Providing literacy tutoring
- Supporting academic skill development
- Helping provide meals
- Building relationships with students
- Recognizing academic achievement and personal growth
- Planning special experiences and events
Reading, Nourishment and Connection
Read and Feed combines literacy support with a nurturing environment. Students receive a meal and focused reading instruction, and have opportunities to select books to build their libraries at home.
For JLR members, the placement offers something equally important: the opportunity to build consistent relationships with students while supporting their growth over time.
Literacy opens doors. Relationships help children walk through them.
A Partnership With Deep JLR Roots
JLR’s involvement with this work reaches back decades.
The League began partnering with Communities in Schools of Wake County in 2001, initially providing significant financial and volunteer support at the Heritage Park Community Learning Center. JLR’s historical records document a $300,000 investment in Heritage Park and extensive volunteer involvement in educational and enrichment programming.
As the work evolved, JLR’s placement moved to Kentwood and expanded its collaboration with Read and Feed, which began in 2017.
That history makes this more than another annual placement.
It represents JLR’s longstanding commitment to helping Wake County students succeed.