San Diego Council on Literacy

Volunteer Literacy Programs

Below is a list of literacy programs throughout San Diego County that offer volunteer opportunities. For your convenience the programs are categorized by region.

East County

International Rescue Committee- First things First & Students Plus
5348 University Avenue, Suite 205
San Diego, CA 92105
Tel: (619) 641-7510
Fax: (619) 641-7520
Contact: Colleen Krause
Email:irc@sd.theirc.org
Website:http://www.theirc.org/where/index.cfm?locationID=32
Description: The International Rescue Committee provides literacy services for women and children who are political refugees. Their programs include English language instruction, life skills training, family literacy, homework help, and small group literacy activities. Volunteer opportunities include assisting refugee youth with their homework and developing literacy skills and also ESL tutoring for refugee mothers and their children.

Laubach Literacy Council Of San Diego County, Inc.
P.O. Box 502733
San Diego, CA 92150-2733
Phone: Please see center listings on website
Email:information@laubach-sandiego.org
Website:www.laubachsandiego.org
Description: The Laubach Literacy Council provides one-on-one and small group English language literacy instruction to limited English-speaking adults in 17 centers throughout San Diego County.

Rolling Readers USA - Read Aloud
4007 Camino Del Rio South, Suite 203
San Diego, CA 92108
(619) 516-4095, ext. 17
(619) 516-4096 fax
Contact: Anna Schulz
Email:volunteer@rollingreaders.org
Website:http://www.rollingreaders.org/
Description:Every year, Rolling Readers mobilizes hundreds of community volunteers to read aloud and share stories with a group of K - 6th grade children at school and community sites throughout San Diego. They also offer a Read Science, a science based program where volunteers read science books and perform simple experiments to 4 th-5 th graders.

San Diego County Office of Education - Everyone a Reader
San Diego County Office of Education
6401 Linda Vista Rd. Rm. 321N
San Diego, CA 92111-7399
(858) 292-3682 or (800) 711-7323
(858) 571-4750 fax
Contact: Cindy Dunlevy
Email:cidunlevy@sdcoe.net
Website: http://www.sdcoe.net/lret/la/ear
Description: The Everyone A Reader volunteer program provides one-on-one tutoring services for children in grades 1-3 in many San Diego County Schools during school hours.

Central San Diego

San Diego Community College Auxiliary Organization - Even Start program
2225 Camino Del Rio South, Suite A
San Diego, CA 92108
(619) 296-0820
(619) 297-9107 fax
Contact: Linda Arias
Email:linda@sandiegoreads.org
Website:www.evenstart.org
Description: This program provides family literacy services to children ages birth - 7 and their parents within the San Diego Unified School District.

San Diego Public Library- READ/San Diego
5148 Market St.
San Diego, CA 92114-2209
(800) 576-1176 toll free phone
(619) 527-5475 phone
(619) 527-5485 fax
Contact: Valerie Hardie
Email:readstaff@sandiego.gov
Website:http://www.sandiego.gov/public-library/services/read.shtml
Description: This program provides one-to-one and computer assisted literacy services for English-speaking adults 18 years of age and older throughout the City of San Diego. They also provide family and workforce literacy services. Family literacy programs exist at Malcolm X Library and City Heights Library. General tutoring takes place in any of the city's thirty-five libraries and in the following community learning centers:
Old Town- Ballard Parent Center
San Ysidro- Casa Familiar
Clairemont Mesa- Clairemont Lutheran Church,
Hillcrest- CSSE (Center for Social Support and Education)
Rancho Penasquitos- North County Learning Center at Canyon Rim Apartments
Valencia Park- READ/San Diego
Downtown- St. Vincent de Paul Village
Logan Heights- 31st St. Seventh-Day Adventist Church
San Diego- Town and Country Village Learning Center

St. Vincent de Paul Village - Life Skills
1501 Imperial Ave.
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 233-8500
(619) 687-1049 fax
Contact: Dawn Gearhart
Website:http://www.svdpv.org/services.html
Description: This program provides one-on-one, computer assisted, and classroom literacy services to English-speaking and limited English-speaking homeless adults in San Diego. Opportunities to volunteer include Adult Basic Education, Computer training, and GED preparation courses.

St. Vincent de Paul Village - Family Literacy Program
1501 Imperial Ave.
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 233-8500
(619) 235-9707 fax
Contact: Dawn Gearhart
Website:http://www.svdpv.org/services.html
Description: This program provides literacy services to homeless children age infant through 18. The program includes early childhood education, after school activities, evening mentors, and family literacy activities. Volunteer opportunities are available year round.

UPLIFT - Kids at Heart
2691 ½ 'B' Street
San Diego, CA 92102
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 620819
San Diego, CA 92162-0819
(619) 234-4504
(619) 234-4508 fax
Email:sandra@uplift.sdcoxmail.com
Website:www.upliftsandiego.org
Description: This program provides tutoring and mentoring services for low-income children living in downtown SD. They provided assistance to children in grades K thru 12 and have 8 sites downtown including Washington Elementary. They also offer after-school enrichment activities and a summer program that assist with academic skills.

North County

Carlsbad City Library - Adult Learning Program
1207 Carlsbad Village Dr., Suite O
Carlsbad, Ca 92008
(760) 434-2998
(760) 720-7621 fax
Contact: Lynda Jones
Email:carlsbadadultlearning@yahoo.com
Website:www.carlsbadlibrary.org – Click on Adult Learning Program
Description: The Carlsbad Adult Learning Program provides one-to-one literacy services in Carlsbad to English-speaking adults from north coastal San Diego County. The program also provides literacy tutoring to selected high school students and a GED prep course one night a week. All volunteer tutor opportunities are available year round.

Escondido Public Library - Literacy Services
239 South Kalmia Street
Escondido, CA 92025
(760) 747-2233 (760) 741-4255 fax
Contact: Myrna Montano
Email:mmontano@ci.escondido.ca.us
Website:http://www.ci.escondido.ca.us/library/literacy/
Description: This program provides literacy services for Escondido, San Marcos, Fallbrook and Valley Center. Their programs include one-on-one tutoring for English speaking adults, Families for Literacy and Early Literacy classes. Potential volunteer tutors must be at least 18 years old.

Oceanside Public Library - Oceanside READS
321 N. Nevada St.
Oceanside, CA 92054
(760) 435-5680
(760) 435-5681 fax
Contact: Sandy Phillips
Email:sphillips@ci.oceanside.ca.us
Website: http://www.library.ci.oceanside.ca.us/Literacy_Services.asp
Description: Oceanside READS provides one-on-one tutoring for adults over the age of 18 and computer assisted literacy services to English speaking adults who work or reside in the City of Oceanside. It also has a youth literacy program for children in grades one through twelve who are below grade level.

South County

Border View YMCA
3085 Beyer Blvd., #A-103
San Diego, CA 92154
619-428-1168
619-428-4691 fax
Contact: Omar Calleros
Email:ocalleros@ymca.org
Description: The Border View YMCA matches tutors and children ages 6 - 18 in South San Diego County. Children receive one-on-one tutoring for one hour a week at a YMCA, school, church or community center.

Chula Vista Public Library - Chula Vista Literacy Team
389 Orange Ave.
Chula Vista, CA 91911
(619) 585-5757
(619) 420-1328 fax
Contact: Patrice O'Halloran
Email:literacy@chulavista.lib.ca.us
Website:http://www.chulavista.lib.ca.us/literacy/index.html
Description: The Chula Vista Literacy Team provides one-on-one and computer-assisted literacy services to English-speaking adults in Bonita, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, San Ysidro and South San Diego. Their services for adults include tutoring, computers, writing classes, and workplace literacy. They also provide a youth literacy program for children in grades 3 - 6, and family literacy programs focusing on parents and children.

Laubach Literacy Council Of San Diego County, Inc.
P.O. Box 502733
San Diego, CA 92150-2733
Phone: Please see center listings on website
Contact: Joan Grover
Email: joangrover@sbcglobal.net
Website:www.laubachsandiego.org
Description: The Laubach Literacy Council provides one-on-one and small group English language literacy instruction to limited English-speaking adults throughout San Diego County.

National City Public Library - Library Literacy Services
200 East 12th Street
National City, CA 91950
(619) 470-5860
(619) 336-4368 fax
Contact: Monica O'Hara
Email:literacy@sdcoe.k12.ca.us
Website:http://www.ci.national-city.ca.us (You'll find us under City Departments)
Description: This program provides services to adults and families in National City. Their services include: one-on-one, small group and computer based tutoring for English-speaking adults, family literacy for children 0 - 5 and their families, and an after school literacy program for children in grades K-6 and their families. The Words on Wheels (WOWmobile) brings family literacy services to children 0-5 and their families at National City HeadStart sites, preschools, Child Development Centers, Family Resource Centers, apartment communities and Samahan Clinic.

The San Diego County Office of Education - Everyone a Reader
San Diego County Office of Education
6401 Linda Vista Rd. Rm. 321N
San Diego, CA 92111-7399
(858) 292-3682 or (800) 711-7323
(858) 571-4750 fax
Contact: Cindy Dunlevy
Email:cidunlevy@sdcoe.net
Website: http://www.sdcoe.net/lret/la/ear
Description: The Everyone A Reader volunteer program provides one-on-one tutoring services for children in grades 1-3 in many San Diego County Schools during school hours.