“It’s the literal personification of hope…”

“The opportunity to have a book in their hands, to read, and to see beyond where they are…is hope.”

With her very diverse life experience and myriad of accomplishments, Patricia, or Patti, McElroy knows precisely how reading, “Is to know, is to learn…it’s freedom.”

Watch more here:

Freedom and hope are precisely why we do what we do across Duval County. It’s why READ USA hosts free Book Fairs every spring, why our Literacy Tutoring program is currently active in 17 elementary schools, and why our Michael Ward & Jennifer Glock Literacy Institute is embedded across all of our programming to elevate parents, caregivers, teachers, and other educators.

Just like reading itself, Patti personifies freedom and hope. From her role as the President of the VyStar Foundation, where she leads the credit union’s multi-million-dollar investments in communities across the Southeast, to her work as a minister and an attorney, Patti has a tenacity for helping people and serving others through leadership.

It is precisely for these reasons that Patti McElroy is our 2024 READ to Lead Award Honoree, which honors an individual who exhibits the bravery and willingness to lead – especially when such leadership is difficult.

Patti will be honored alongside six other award winners at our upcoming Peace in the Pages in Honor of Roseann Duran luncheon on Oct. 2 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at EverBank Stadium. You can read more about the event here. And it’s not too late – yet! – to sponsor READ USA and attend!

Read more about Patti’s exceptional life and accomplishments in READ USA’s recently published Jeremy’s Journey book about her here!

We look forward to celebrating Patti and all of our awards winners in October!

Attendance to Peace in the Pages is currently a benefit to our generous donors who support READ USA at $1,000 a year or more. You can become a READ USA sponsor here or by contacting Sydney King, READ USA Development Senior Director, at sydney@readusainc.com.

Honoring Sherry Magill’s Contributions to Jacksonville & Beyond

The Jessie in downtown Jax was abuzz last night!

At a private reception, guests braved the rainy weather to celebrate the mastermind behind the Jessie Ball duPont Center and the release of the second edition of her Jeremy’s Journey book.

We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to celebrate Sherry and her many contributions to Jacksonville and to the wellbeing of our community’s most vulnerable citizens. Though retired from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund after a storied 25-year career, Sherry has remained incredibly active, volunteering her time, talent, and exceptional vision to multiple community institutions – including being a regular contributor to Jax Today!

We are also thankful for all of our guests who could attend, particularly Duval County School Board member Dr. Lori Hershey and Melissa Ross from Mayor Donna Deegan’s office. Many thanks as well to the team at The Jessie who helped us make the event a great success.

We can’t wait to celebrate Sherry again in just a few weeks at our Peace in the Pages in Honor of Roseann Duran luncheon! Sherry will be recognized alongside six other award honorees for their lifelong contributions to literacy, our community, and the students of Duval County (and far beyond as well!).

Thank you, Sherry, for the opportunity to share your story through Jeremy’s voice! You can purchase a copy of Sherry’s Jeremy’s Journey biography for $20/book here.

READ USA Discusses Volunteer Opportunities at Pace Center for Girls

Yesterday, our team visited Pace Center for Girls to discuss volunteer opportunities at READ USA – and we are very grateful to the leadership team for welcoming us!

Stephanie Darilus, our Operations Senior Director, spoke to the senior class at Pace Center for Girls about our Book Fairs that will be coming up this Spring, how they can volunteer, and the types of volunteer roles available (there are several!). Our team is thrilled about the opportunity for these young women to join us at some elementary schools in May!

“Yesterday was a fantastic opportunity to engage young girls in our community in literacy, the importance of reading, and our work in elementary schools,” said Stephanie. “Like READ USA, Pace Center for Girls is embedded in schools across our community and the Southeast, and the girls were eager to learn how they too can give back. We are so excited for our Book Fairs this coming Spring and for these girls to experience the same joy we do when kids get to choose their very own, brand-new, free books! It’s contagious and completely invigorating.”

#DYK: Eight out of 10 girls served by Pace Center for Girls improved academically (as measured by the Florida STAR assessment) as a result of Pace. We know more than a thing or two about academic improvement, and as a community organization also focused on uplifting our youth, we are thrilled to see the positive impact that Pace is having on these young women’s lives!

Children’s Book: This Very Tree: A Story of 9/11, Resilience, and Regrowth by Sean Rubin

A deeply moving story about community and resilience, from the point-of-view of the Callery pear tree that survived the attacks on September 11, from Eisner Award-nominated author-illustrator Sean Rubin.

In the 1970s, nestled between the newly completed Twin Towers in New York City, a Callery pear tree was planted. Over the years, the tree provided shade for people looking for a place to rest and a home for birds, along with the first blooms of spring.

On September 11, 2001, everything changed. The tree’s home was destroyed, and it was buried under the rubble. But a month after tragedy struck, a shocking discovery was made at Ground Zero: the tree had survived.

Dubbed the “Survivor Tree,” it was moved to the Bronx to recover. And in the thoughtful care of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the Callery pear was nursed back to health. Almost a decade later, the Survivor Tree returned home and was planted in the 9/11 Memorial to provide beauty and comfort…and hope.

This is the story of that tree―and of a nation in recovery. Told from the tree’s perspective, This Very Tree is a touching tribute to first responders, the resilience of America, and the restorative power of community.

Submitted by Kathi Hart, Tutoring Program Content Specialist