About
Our Mission
The mission of Read and Feed is to give low-income elementary school children an appetite for reading by strengthening literacy skills and providing encouragement in a nurturing, neighborhood environment. Using mobile classrooms, we provide meals to eliminate hunger, mentors to help children read, and books to build home libraries.
Click here for a tour of our mobile classroom. Video credits- Rachel Smith, Communications Intern and Jamie Buning
Our Staff
Kati Mullan
Executive Director
Heather Cross
Volunteer & Program Director
Jamie Buning
Operations Manager
Board of Directors
Pamela Meek
President
Senior Director, External Communications, SAS
Tina Vrabel
Vice President
Retired, Fidelity Investments
Kathryn Raymond
Treasurer
Tax Director, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Jan Frantz
Founder & Past President
Retired Global Vice President of Reichhold Emulsions, Durham, NC
James Stem
Secretary
Retired Railroad Safety Officer
Anuja Acharya
Data Quality Manager, Cisco Systems
Lisa Malmberg
National Implementation Manager, Recall
Mike Owens
Director of Client Development, Greene Resources
Liz Prue
Wake County Elementary School Teacher
Doug Short
Attorney, Manning, Fulton & Skinner, P.A.
Calvin Stevens
Director of Business Development & Diversity, Balfour Beatty Construction
Sue Stevens
Retired, Human Resources
Benjamin A. Swaney
Financial Advisor, Wells Fargo Advisors
Larry Swaney
Financial Advisor, Wells Fargo Advisors
Christopher Meredith
Senior Manager, KPMG, LLP
Greg Rideout
Rideout Research Group
Advisory Council
Marty Clayton
District Manager at Duke Energy
Jill Donovan
Owner of Jill's Beach and Donovan's Dish
Bobbie Furr
Retired Accountant Partner
Elizabeth Galecke
Owner, Elizabeth Galecke Photography
Leslie Ann Jackson
Director of Grants & Scholarships at NC Community Foundation
Cecile Noel
Community Leader
Suzanne Stroud
Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch
Pamela Meek
Sr. Director, External Communications at SAS
LaRinda Huntley-Kaplan
Community Leader
George Jordan
Developer and owner of George H. Jordan III Development Co.
Janis Frantz
Founder of Read and Feed
The Story of Read and Feed
Several years ago, Jan Frantz was volunteering as a tutor at Northwoods Elementary when she realized that every child does not have the resources necessary to improve their reading and writing skills. In October of 2007, after months of research, Frantz quit her corporate job in order to help children in Wake County. Frantz purchased an RV and converted it into a mobile classroom that could travel to the neighborhoods of children in need. Frantz loaded the mobile classroom with books that she had been collecting in her attic. Then she prepared sloppy joes to serve the children for supper. Not sure what to expect, Frantz arrived at Penny Road Elementary in Cary to offer the first Read and Feed program. Sure enough, seven eager children came aboard the mobile classroom ready to read and learn.
Our more than 425 active volunteers provide 7,700 hours of tutoring
The program that began in Cary just a few years ago has expanded to serve more than 600 children each year. With three mobile classrooms and additional sites in Communities in Schools, Boys and Girls Clubs and area churches, we now serve 24 program sites in Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Rolesville, Knightdale and Zebulon. Our more than 425 active volunteers provide 7,700 hours of tutoring, drive our mobile classrooms, deliver food and supplies, sort and distribute the 33,000+ books we give to children annually, and provide crucial administrative services.
