Lead to Read KC is proud to be a part of KMBC Cares For Kids! We appreciate the ongoing support and excellent media coverage the KMBC 9 News team has provided for our mission.
Our Mission
Lead to Read KC is dedicated to transforming Kansas City into a community where all students thrive academically and personally through unparalleled access to literacy resources, reading support. Together we create readers, one lunch hour at a time.
Donate
We invite you to be part of a new chapter—a story where each young reader gains the confidence and skills to succeed, and where our community grows stronger with every page turned.
Your donation to our end-of-year campaign allows us to expand our programs, partner with more schools, and reach even more students. Let’s all invest in Kansas City, one story at a time.
Why We're Needed
Reading is the foundation for all other learning and is essential for a future workforce.
Grade when students switch from learning to read to reading to learn
%
Third-graders in KC public and charter schools reading proficiently
Likelihood of dropping out of high school if you can't read by third grade
%
Youth in the juvenile justice system that are functionally illiterate
Source: SchoolSmartKC
What We Do
We are the boots on the ground with four key programs that directly impact students by providing:
- Reading mentoring for students in first through third grade who attend high-need schools
- High-dosage, one-to-one tutoring by certified, experienced teachers
- More than 60 free community book distribution sites to encourage reading outside of school
- Mental health and wellness support via author partnerships and school visits
For More Information
We invite you to explore our full website to learn more about our partners, family resources, organization updates and more!