Volunteer Appreciation: Together For Literacy Celebration

Our community recently gathered on the beautiful rooftop of our Arthaus office building for a heartfelt celebration dedicated to the incredible volunteers of the Oakland Literacy Coalition. Set against the Town skyline, the event was filled with laughter, gratitude, and shared stories, all focused on honoring the individuals who donate their time and talent to ensure that every Oakland child learns and loves to read. Over the past year, 78 dedicated volunteers showed up with endless patience and enthusiasm across schools, community events, and in our bookroom.

A major highlight of the afternoon was our community book swap, which took a truly special turn this year. Volunteer Marianne Lonsdale brought her recently published book, When the Road Calls, to share with the group, complete with a wonderful shout-out to OLC in her official author biography! It was a beautiful reminder of how deeply intertwined our volunteers’ personal passions are with our literacy mission, and how supporting young learners builds a lasting community of readers and writers.

We extend our deepest thanks to everyone who spent the afternoon with us on the rooftop, and to every volunteer who helps share the joy, belonging, justice and power of reading. The energy at Arthaus was buzzing with a shared passion that inspires our entire organization to keep pushing forward. We are profoundly honored to work alongside such a devoted team, and we look forward to turning the page on another fantastic year of reading together!

Volunteers make the magic happen. Get involved and volunteer today!