The JCA Heyman Interages Center's REAL (Reading and Educating to Advance Lives) Program connects adult volunteers (50+) with children and their parents through literacy and health activities in Department of Health and Human Services waiting rooms. Volunteers may choose to work solo or in teams of two.
Children come and go and vary in age, so volunteers are flexible about the activities they choose. Activities may include: reading and being read to, talking about shapes/letters/numbers/colors, talking about healthy foods, drawing and coloring, doing activity sheets, etc. Volunteers also offer free books for children to take home with them. All materials are provided.
Parents are always in the room and responsible for their children; we encourage them to stay close by and observe.
Sites are in Germantown, Rockville, and Silver Spring.
Volunteers should enjoy working with children, books and entertaining children. Volunteers must complete training for the program and pass a criminal background check in order to participate. Volunteers should be flexible as this is a drop-in style program and participation may vary. Volunteers ideally can commit two hours per week minimum.
Volunteers must be age 50+.
