READ! LEARN! SUCCEED! - Mary Lyon Foundation

Read

Learn

Succeed

Building a Love of Reading, One Book at a Time

Read! Learn! Succeed! (RLS) is an early literacy program that brings volunteer readers and free books into local preschool and kindergarten classrooms, helping young children build connections with books, reading, and their community.

During the school year, volunteers visit participating classrooms to read a selected book aloud. Each student receives a copy of the book to take home, and each classroom receives a copy to keep.

For many children, those books become part of their first library at home and an opportunity to continue reading, learning, and sharing stories with their families.

Founded by United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region in 2012, Read! Learn! Succeed! transitioned to the Mary Lyon Foundation in summer 2026.

Since its launch, the program has distributed more than 51,100 books to children and teachers across the region.

As part of the Mary Lyon Foundation, RLS continues a shared commitment to giving children the resources and opportunities they need to learn, succeed, and thrive.

More Than

51,100 Books

and Counting

How Read! Learn! Succeed! Works

Throughout the school year:

A new book is selected for participating classrooms.
Community volunteers visit preschool and kindergarten classrooms to read the story aloud.
Every participating child receives their own copy of the book to take home.
Each classroom receives a copy for its library.

The result is more than a classroom storytime. Each visit helps create excitement around reading while extending that experience beyond the classroom and into students’ homes.

Volunteer with Read! Learn! Succeed!

Share a Story. Help Inspire a Young Reader.

Community volunteers help bring each month’s story to life for young readers. Becoming an RLS volunteer reader is a meaningful way to connect with local schools and make a difference, one classroom at a time.

BECOME A VOLUNTEER READER

Bring Read! Learn! Succeed! to Your School

Want to bring Read! Learn! Succeed! into your preschool or kindergarten classroom?

Complete the school interest form below to let the Mary Lyon Foundation know you would like to participate.

SCHOOL INTEREST FORM

Support Read! Learn! Succeed!

Help Put More Books Into the Hands of Young Readers

Not every child has the same access to books or the same opportunities to build strong reading skills outside the classroom.

Your gift helps us reach more classrooms, provide more books, and give more local children the opportunity to grow as confident, curious readers.

DONATE TO READ! LEARN! SUCCEED!

“At the Co-op, we believe banking should be cooperative. That’s why the Bank is proud to partner with organizations like the Mary Lyon Foundation to support literacy in our community. When we give children the tools to read and learn today, we give them the foundation to thrive and succeed tomorrow.”

Jacqueline Charron

EVP – Chief Banking Officer

Thank You to Our Funders

RLS is made possible with support from generous funders who believe in the power of early literacy and help us put books into the hands of young readers across the region.