Buffalo Volunteers Receive President’s Volunteer Service Award

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Fifty-one Read to Succeed Buffalo volunteers received the President’s Volunteer Service Award Friday, recognizing volunteers who have contributed more than 100 hours to the Western New York community and Buffalo schools.

Volunteers included the organization’s literacy tutors, who provided nearly 8,000 hours of community service and academic support in 2023.

According to a statement, President Biden expressed his appreciation for each volunteer in personal letters, stating that we live in a time that calls for “Hope for our future, light to see our path, and love for one another. Through your service, you provide all three.”

Read to Succeed was first created in 2007 in response to the staggering rates of reading proficiency among Buffalo’s citizens. The nonprofit organization works closely with elementary students, from kindergarten through third grade, to strengthen their reading skills, improve their reading scores, and prepare children for kindergarten.