For most college students, it's hard to imagine not being able to read.
However, for many children in Alabama, the inability to read is a normal part of life.
Jean Dean Reading is Fundamental, a program based out of Opelika that gives books to young children throughout the state of Alabama, is combatin illiteracy and giving students a chance to help.
"We serve over 20,000 children," said Cathy Gafford, executive director of Jean Dean RIF. "We have more than 500 sites over the state and serve kids in every county in Alabama and a few sites in Nebraska and Missouri. Most of our kids don't have any other books in their homes."
Jean Dean RIF relies on volunteers to help them label, organize and pack books and keep the warehouse organized.
"People sit and label books, that's mainly what the volunteers do," said J.M. Anderson, shipping and volunteer coordinator. "Sometimes we'll have them actually pulling the orders that go to the different places."
As the shipping and volunteer coordinator, Anderson manages the warehouse and inventory and sets up appointment times for volunteers to come help at the warehouse.
Most volunteers come to Jean Dean RIF with service groups, such as IMPACT, Circle K or a service learning class, but Mondays are the only consistent volunteer days.
The weekend volunteer days are a little different from normal Monday volunteer days.
"They're a lot less hectic," Anderson said. "Our last distribution is in April, and we're already a third of it pulled already, so we're really far ahead."
This year, volunteers are even more important to Jean Dean RIF.
Recently, funding for national RIF was reduced, leaving Gafford with the tough decision to choose how to move forward despite funding cuts.
"It's been considerably more challenging," Gafford said. "We had to make the decision to drop 8,000 of the kids we serve or bust it and try to come up with it - we decided to bust it and try to come up with it."
Jean Dean RIF has three major fundraisers: a pancake breakfast, which was this past weekend; a run to read, which takes place in November; and a ride to read, which will be June 1.
They also receive funding and volunteer help from Kappa Kappa Gamma and Alpha Kappa Alpha, whose signature philanthropies benefit Jean Dean RIF.
Meghan Dooley, senior in political science, has experience volunteering with IMPACT, the East Alabama Food Bank and reading to children at Tuskegee Elementary.
"It was really eye-opening to see the struggle in Alabama, especially with illiteracy and access to reading supplies," Dooley said. "As Auburn students, we need to give back to our community and I think places like JD RIF are great ways to give back."
Gafford is thankful that Auburn students are knowledgeable about socio-economic needs in the area and around the nation.
"I've had a lot of students, high school and college, who had no idea there was anyone in this whole world that didn't have a book in their home," Gafford said. "But the young people I've had come through here, especially from IMPACT, are unbelievably knowledgeable."
This month, Jean Dean RIF has four weekend volunteer days: March 9, 10, 30 and 31.
Students can call or email jdrifvolunteer@gmail.com to make an appointment between 9 a.m.-4 p.m. March 9 and 30 or between 2 -5 p.m. March 10 and 31.
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