Volunteer Opportunity: Reading Allies
TUARA members are invited to serve as volunteer tutors in Tuscaloosa area elementary schools through Reading Allies, a University of Alabama System initiative. TUARA is a Reading Allies community partner. Volunteers work one-on-one with striving readers through an individualized curriculum. Reading Allies is currently recruiting volunteers to work in five local schools: MLK, TASPA, Southview, Holt, and Matthews. Reading Allies will offer options to volunteer on Mondays-Thursdays beginning the week of Feb. 14. Most programs will end the week of April 25, with Southview Elementary ending on May 2. Mandatory Zoom trainings will be held the week of Feb. 7.
Anyone who wants to volunteer can sign up using this Google Form link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfKTZONDTBdyrA7LYKlMSrZd9EBeL83rTsgtZ4f3Ek_pziFHw/viewform?usp=sf_link.
Questions about volunteering with Reading Allies or other TUARA volunteer opportunities? Contact TUARA volunteer coordinator Carolyn Dahl at carolyn.dahl@ua.edu.
Report Your Volunteer Hours Today
Please help us demonstrate retirees’ contributions to our communities by using the attached form to report your volunteer hours. Please report hours from January 2022 as well as unreported hours for 2021. Please list hours from 2021 separately so they can be added to the year-end report. Why is this important? Each year our investment of time in our communities makes a significant contribution to Alabama. When our data is added to similar data from other education retirees around the state through AERA, we demonstrate the value that retirees bring to Alabama’s economy and quality of life. And that tremendous impact supports efforts to build support for retiree issues and benefits. Service hours should include activities in Alabama for which you have not received financial reimbursement. Hours should also not include 1) Sunday school and church attendance, 2) Caring for family members, and 3) Participation in AERA activities on state committees or the Board of Directors. Please report your hours to TUARA today!
Please report hours for each of the following categories as applicable:
| Categories | Examples | # of Service Hours |
| Arts | Children’s Hands-On Museum, theater, opera, arts | |
| Church | Church related service projects (not attendance for worship services) | |
| Civic | Organizational projects, civic and special interest | |
| Health | Bloodmobile, clinics, nursing home, nutrition, home care | |
| Education | Mentoring, literacy projects | |
| Transportation | Shopping, errands, escort services | |
| RSVP/Volunteer Programs | Shut-Ins, telephone, etc. | |
| Youth Work | Big Brothers Big Sisters, work related to youth programs | |
| TUARA | TUARA volunteer activities, administrative work, communications, etc. | |
| Other (specify) | ||
| Total Hours |
Three easy ways to respond:
- Print this page, complete, and email a scanned copy to tuara.ua@gmail.com
- Print this page, complete and mail to TUARA, Box 861493, Tuscaloosa, AL 35486
- List totals by category in the body of an email addressed to tuara.ua@gmail.com.