Founded by Dr. Lenora Butler in 2009, the idea for VRP was prompted by media attention to Ontario's EQAO results focusing on dramatic differences in grade 3 reading ability across schools. As a Psychologist, Lenora wondered if there was a way to help children falling behind in reading before they reached grade 3 when remediation is very late and self-confidence and school performance potentially compromised.

Early days

VRP started with 30 volunteers reading with grade one children in Gateway PS. Toronto, at the invitation of the Principal, Patricia Sutherland. Volunteers were asked to read for a minimum of half a day every second week. Further, they were assured that VRP would provide replacements when they were on holiday or had to cancel at the last minute. That flexibility ensured not only a high level of commitment, but also an exceptional calibre of volunteers.

That year, 40 grade one children graduated from our Programme.

Rapid Growth

When COVID-19 closed the schools in March, 2020, VRP had 200 Volunteers reading in 23 schools.  Approximately one-third of these were Community Readers, parents with children in the school.

In 2012, VRP was registered as a Charity with Canada Revenue Agency (#82283 3109 RR0001).