Our Story

It is incredible how one small idea can grow into something truly special. READ Lakeland, Inc is rooted in the belief that we all have an inherent responsibility to make a meaningful difference in our community. Founded in 1995 to fill a need for Adult Schools in the city. Many applicants did not have the literacy levels expected when applying; tutoring is expensive and often out of reach for many of the would-be students. We built this program to fill the gap in our community, teaching basic literacy skills to adult nonreaders and promoting adult literacy. We offer one-to-one tutoring and small group instruction to an estimated 24% of adults in Lakeland who are functioning at the lowest levels of literacy. We help those who cannot read medical instructions, fill out an employment application, or read a simple story to a child. With more than 100 volunteers, we offer FREE tutoring and services to those wanting to better their skills.

Since our founding almost 30 years sgo, we have been proud to witness how our activities have benefitted the Lakeland community and beyond. Want to take part? Contribute to our work by donating or volunteering today.