Shop at dd’s DISCOUNTS on W Colonial Drive this month and donate at the register. Every dollar helps OTTER put brand-new books into the hands of Orange County children, and dd’s DISCOUNTS is matching whatever our store raises.

When

Aug 8-30, 2026

Goal

$2,400, matched dollar-for-dollar by 
dd’s DISCOUNTS

Why It Matters


Access to books is one of the biggest barriers to a strong start in reading, and for many families in our community, that means kids simply don’t have books of their own at home. That’s where OTTER (Older Teachers Teaching Early Readers) comes in: trained volunteer readers visit Head Start and early learning classrooms across Orange County, leading interactive read-alouds and sending children home with books to build their very own home libraries.

1,060+

children served this past year


10,700+

books donated to build home libraries


86%

of children made school-readiness gains


93%

of teachers rate volunteers “excellent”



Volunteers Wanted!

Help the City of Orlando's youngest children love to read!

Here is a number that puts everything in perspective.

Children who are read to every day hear an estimated 290,000 more words by the time they turn 5 than children who aren't read to regularly. Read to five times a day, that difference grows to 1.4 million words.

Words are the building blocks of reading. Reading is the foundation of education. And education is the gateway to everything else.

VCI's OTTER volunteers read aloud to preschoolers in Orange County Head Start programs every week and give each child a book to keep. We are not just filling an hour. We are closing a gap that determines futures.

Next month, September, is National Literacy Month. There's no better time to get involved.

Scan to complete a volunteer application:

https://volunteersforcommunityimpact.org/otter-volunteer-form/

To learn more, visit:

https://volunteersforcommunityimpact.org/vci-program/otter-program/

or contact the OTTER Program Manager at nrogers@vcifl.org

Save our flyer and spread the word on social media!

This program is funded in whole or in part by 
Orange County Citizens' Commission for Children.