United Way Brings Read Across America Events to Jim Wells County

United Way of the Coastal Bend announced coordinated Read Across America activities tied to the national March 2 observance, saying volunteers and school visits will take place across the Coastal Bend this week. The announcement lists regional coordination but does not include school-level dates, sign-up links, or a local Coastal Bend contact for Jim Wells County families; United Way officials have been asked for those specifics.

Read Across America Day falls on March 2, Dr. Seuss’ birthday, and United Way chapters nationwide used the date and the surrounding week to stage classroom visits and book distributions. At the University of Delaware Early Learning Centers in Newark and Wilmington, March 2 programming brought dozens of readers and volunteers from six organizations into 16 classrooms at the ELC, 489 Wyoming Road, Newark, DE 19716; each child went home with a Dr. Seuss book. Michelle A. Taylor, president and chief executive officer of United Way of Delaware, said, "United Way looks forward to Read Across America Day each year. We are grateful to our amazing partners and volunteers for 'raising their hands' to give their time to our kids in Delaware. Their move to action is evidence that we are truly able to make an impact when we stand together." Peg Bradley, director of the ELC, stressed age-specific reading benefits: "Read to infants because they love to hear the rhythm of the words. Read to toddlers because they begin to understand what the words mean. Read to preschoolers because they put themselves in the story and start to imagine. And of course, read to school age children because that will help them become proficient readers." New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer, who said he taught middle school for four years, added, "I felt like we weren’t reaching kids early enough," and called hearing the ELC read to toddlers "music to my ears."

Elsewhere, United Way of Orange County staged reading sessions March 2–6 and March 9–12 and pledged to read 100 books through a Y-Reads partnership with the YMCA in honor of the chapter’s 100-year anniversary. Orange County organizers invited volunteers to sign up for one-hour shifts to read two to three short books to Y-Reads small groups; books are provided. Volunteer questions were directed to Laci Gibbens at 409-882-4297 or lgibbens@dow.com and to YMCA coordinator Janet Manley at 409-790-7273 or jmanley@ymcasetx.org.

In Los Angeles, a March 2 Read Across America effort led by United Way of Greater Los Angeles and Valero placed donated books in nine Wilmington-area schools, ensuring every K–3 student received a book; the event involved 75 volunteers. In Connecticut, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut scheduled a Read Across America Day on Thursday, March 5, 2026 from 8:00–10:30 a.m., planning to read See Marcus Grow by Marcus Bridgewater; registration pages for those locations were full with a waitlist option and further questions were routed to Kenniece Coker at 860.493.1176 or kcoker@unitedwayinc.org.

For Jim Wells County families and prospective volunteers: United Way of the Coastal Bend has announced regionwide Read Across America activity but has not published a Jim Wells County contact or school-by-school schedule in the regional notice. Residents seeking to volunteer or to confirm when a classroom visit will come to a local school should contact United Way of the Coastal Bend directly for dates, school lists, and sign-up procedures so that local classrooms can be matched with volunteers during Read Across America Week.