Learning Home Volunteers

Every child deserves an equal start at school

…But inequity exists

What is the problem

  • Nationwide 70% of low-income children begin school behind
  • Kindergarten readiness is the #1 indicator of academic success — let’s start ready

Why work on learning before school?

Young children’s brains are primed for learning:

  • Memory, language, communication and reasoning skills peak between ages 2 to 5
  • 90% of brain development is complete by age 5
  • Investing in early childhood education is cost effective and more effective than trying to correct deficits later

Covid creates new obstacles for low-income families

  • Only 27% of preschools in San Mateo county are operating
  • Headstart is operating at 40% enrollment due to social distancing space requirements
  • Financial hardships make it extremely difficult to participate in a fee-based program

Our mission is to ensure that every child gets an equal start at school.

How does our program work?

Icon of an adult holding hands with a child, heart floating above

Our program is free for low-income families with children age 2–5 in San Mateo County.

Icon of a delivery person holding a package

Learning materials and activities are delivered to families’ homes on a regular basis.

Icon of two people high-fiving

Training and support is provided to our families throughout the three years they are with us.

Icon of a rainbow superimposed atop a book

We provide families with a set of core books to start, and a customized selection of books every month.

A collage of a float and sink science experiment activity, sea life flashcards, magnet fishing, fish paper crafts, and a magnifying glass activity.
A child looking at sand through a magnifying glass
A collage of a train made out of egg carton pieces, a cork, and a toilet paper roll, a memory game, a garbage sorting activity, a letter tracing activity, a raft made out of cork with a paper sail, cardboard stoplights, and a counting activity with blocks and a printout of a truck.
A croquet-like game and a miniature soccer game with pom-poms for soccer balls, a field made out of cardboard, and a scoreboard.
A collage of a coin sorting activity, a cardboard dashboard, a paper bunny, a street scene made of cardboard, a cardboard crafts activity.
A child engaged with a coin-matching activity.
A collage of cookies, paper mache, paper lanterns, a sensory box, a stocking, and a felt christmas tree.
A child wearing a paper hat with a hand-drawn gingerbread man.
Two children making a felt christmas tree.
A collage of a bean bag toss game, an autumn-themed counting activity, an autumn-themed matching game, a foam pattern-making activity.
A child working on a pumpkin investigation activity.
A child holding a bowl of pumpkin seeds.

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