Unlocking the Joy of Reading
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We believe that reading should be fun, meaningful, and shared. By bringing books and community into the classroom, we help improve early literacy skills in a way that’s both effective and memorable.
Reading aloud nurtures literacy, curiosity and lifelong success.
At First R Foundation, we help kids fall in love with reading. Each month, guest readers visit kindergarten and first-grade classrooms in Gloucester and Rockport, Massachusetts to share their love of books and read a brand-new, bestselling children’s story aloud. Founded by Pat Earle in 2000 after school library services were cut, First R was created to make sure young students still had joyful access to great books. Every visit delivers stories that spark imagination, laughter, and learning.
Volunteers Who Love to Read (and It Shows!)
Today, more than 50 volunteer readers — including politicians, business leaders, doctors, and artists — bring energy and enthusiasm into local classrooms. They show students that reading isn’t just a school subject — it’s a lifelong superpower. Funded entirely by private donations, First R provides about 30 brand-new books each month to local classrooms. As Earle says, nothing replaces holding a real book in your hands — early exposure to books helps children build comprehension, focus, and strong learning habits that last a lifetime.
Books donated since First R’s launch 15,000+
10,000+ books to classrooms and 5,000 books to individual kindergarten and first-grade students.
“What has inspired Pat Earle to have kept this endeavor going for 25 years? “If I see one kid with a lightbulb going off over his head,” Earle says with a sparkle in her eye, “I can say, ‘Gotcha’.”
Contact Us
Interested in reading or volunteering? Complete this form and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!