Jean's Dream
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Jean Rundle's dream was to provide every child in the Kansas City urban core a reading mentor. She and her husband Lynn started Lead to Read KC in 2011 to make her dream a reality.
The need was real. Jean first realized that when she started working with a group of at-risk kids who were struggling to read at grade level. After digging deeper, they found almost 75% of children living in poverty are not reading on grade level by the third grade. This makes them four times more likely to drop out of school.
What started as a dream quickly grew thanks to Jean’s vision. Lead to Read KC began pairing caring adults with at-risk students to help them improve basic reading skills. These weekly reading relationships proved powerful for both the student and the adult volunteer. However, just as the program was taking off, Jean was diagnosed with a heart condition that unexpectedly took her life in 2013. Lynn vowed to honor his wife’s memory by keeping her Lead to Read KC dream alive.
From 30 kids to 1,000-plus
Since 2011, the program has grown from the initial 30 students to more than 1,000. Today, Lead to Read KC provides one-on-one reading relationships to children in 51 classrooms. Every week, teams of volunteers across the city donate a lunch hour to read with these kids who are improving their reading skills while also developing a love of reading.
How can I help?
Lynn has been the primary financial supporter of Lead to Read KC in its early years. The program's growth has been so substantial that Lead to Read KC needs your help to sustain the program. The money raised through this campaign will provide reading mentors for 300-plus students in 15 classrooms across Kansas City during the 2017-18 school year -- less than $200 per child.
Thank you for helping Lynn and Lead to Read KC make Jean's dream come true by providing reading mentors for Kansas City kids. Our commitment is real, our success is remarkable and with your support, our possibilities are endless!
The need was real. Jean first realized that when she started working with a group of at-risk kids who were struggling to read at grade level. After digging deeper, they found almost 75% of children living in poverty are not reading on grade level by the third grade. This makes them four times more likely to drop out of school.
What started as a dream quickly grew thanks to Jean’s vision. Lead to Read KC began pairing caring adults with at-risk students to help them improve basic reading skills. These weekly reading relationships proved powerful for both the student and the adult volunteer. However, just as the program was taking off, Jean was diagnosed with a heart condition that unexpectedly took her life in 2013. Lynn vowed to honor his wife’s memory by keeping her Lead to Read KC dream alive.
From 30 kids to 1,000-plus
Since 2011, the program has grown from the initial 30 students to more than 1,000. Today, Lead to Read KC provides one-on-one reading relationships to children in 51 classrooms. Every week, teams of volunteers across the city donate a lunch hour to read with these kids who are improving their reading skills while also developing a love of reading.
How can I help?
Lynn has been the primary financial supporter of Lead to Read KC in its early years. The program's growth has been so substantial that Lead to Read KC needs your help to sustain the program. The money raised through this campaign will provide reading mentors for 300-plus students in 15 classrooms across Kansas City during the 2017-18 school year -- less than $200 per child.
Thank you for helping Lynn and Lead to Read KC make Jean's dream come true by providing reading mentors for Kansas City kids. Our commitment is real, our success is remarkable and with your support, our possibilities are endless!
Organizer and beneficiary
Justin Goldsborough
Organizer
Kansas City, MO
Sarah Gaikwad
Beneficiary
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