Get Involved

Volunteer as a Tutor

JCL's core mission is to place volunteer reading tutors in public school classrooms and after-school programs. If you have one hour a week to share with a child, please consider volunteering with us. Learn more about tutoring with us and sign up for a training session.

Book Donations

A single book can change a child’s life forever. Every year, JCL makes it a priority to ensure that children not only attain the necessary skills to become successful readers, but also that they have access to books. If you are looking for a way to contribute, consider donating new or gently used books, which will be distributed by JCL to tutoring sites. For your next celebration, ask your guests to bring new children’s books instead of gifts. Or, if you have a gift to give, donate a book in a friend's name. Whether you donate one or one hundred books, your donation will have a tremendous effect on a child.

Please refer to the following guidelines when donating books:

• Books should be new or in good condition; please no missing covers, ripped pages, scribbles, etc.
• Books should be appropriate for children ages five to nine. Harry Potter is great, but the kids we serve are still too young.
• The books should be of universal appeal and appropriateness. Books on religion, health and hygiene, and other topics that are of a private nature are best left out.

Organize a Community Book Drive

Organizing a community book drive is always a great way to collect books for children. You can start a book drive at your local synagogue, community center, school, grocery store, or place of work. JCL is more than happy to assist in the coordination of a book drive.

View lists of quality children’s literature.

The Literacy Mitzvah Centerpiece Project

A socially-conscious alternative to flower arrangements, centerpieces made of flowers are beautiful, but a JCL book centerpiece is both beautiful and meaningful. Let JCL provide custom-designed centerpieces made from a pyramid of books, wrapped to fit the decor of your celebration. After the event, books will be donated to local JCL tutoring sites in your name with a personalized inscription. Join the Jewish Coalition for Literacy’s effort to share the joy of reading and bring more books into the lives of local children. Do something different for your next bar/bat mitzvah, shower or wedding - or any celebration. For more information, please contact Roberta Rothman at 415-977-7430 x102.

Make a Contribution

You can make a financial contribution of any size to support JCL's programs. All donations to JCL are tax deductible. To make a donation online, go to the JCRC website; in the Donation Designation box be sure to select "JCRC's JCL Project".

Checks should be made payable to ‘Jewish Coalition for Literacy’ and sent to the East Bay, San Francisco, or Peninsula JCL offices listed on the Contact Us page. If the contribution has been made in memory or in honor of someone, please provide the necessary contact information of where an acknowledgement letter can be sent. If you would like the donation to be used for the purchase of new books, please make a note of this.

Lend us your time

If you have any time to give for the following tasks, give us a call. We can always use your help!

• Database maintenance
• Website maintenance
• Book sorting or delivery
• Clerical
• Marketing
• Photography / Video
• Graphic design