United Way of Kaw Valley: Young Leaders Society

09/03/2025

Friday is the last day to sign up! Join us for breakfast and a volunteer shift on 9/19 (yes, it's a Friday--but volunteering is good for office morale!). Breakfast is at the amazing Topeka Social venue with food from Chef Sean!

Volunteer for Nancy Perry Day of Caring! United Way of Kaw Valley

https://www.ksnt.com/fox-43/support-the-community-with-nancy-perry-day-of-caring/

04/23/2025

The Young Leader Society wanted to extend an extra thank you to our teachers for their support of the Junior Leader Reader program. Congratulations to our raffle basket winner Ms. Allen from Whitson Elementary and thank you again to all of our teachers who participated in the program.

04/15/2025

Last week the Young Leaders Society celebrated the volunteers, teachers and donors who make the Junior Leader Reader program possible at our annual JLR Social hosted at Strathman Sales. United Way of Kaw Valley and Strathman Sales provided raffle prizes to celebrate our attendees.

Thank you to Strathman Sales, the Flavor Wagon food truck, and all of our attendees for making this event so special!

03/18/2025

Junior Leader Reader is a program designed to get books into the hands of kids and classrooms in need throughout Shawnee County! To make reading exciting, we have community member volunteers come in and read to students and deliver the books.

Junior Leader Reader is still in need of readers for pre-K and kindergarten classrooms from March 31 through April 11. You don't need to be a YLS member to volunteer. Go to the link below to sign up and if you can't make it be sure to share this post with someone who would love to read to kids!
https://www.kawvalleyvolunteers.org/need/index?tag=Junior+Leader+Reader+-+Shawnee+County

03/03/2025

It's Junior Leader Reader time in Shawnee County! Come read to pre-K and kindergarten students from March 31 through April 11. You don't need to be a YLS member to volunteer. Check out all our opportunities at https://bit.ly/jlr_spring25.

Junior Leader Reader (JLR) is an early literacy initiative of our Young Leaders Society. JLR volunteers visit classrooms and read aloud to students. Every student receives a copy of the book to take home as well as a letter for their caregivers with tips for reading together.

11/15/2024

Thank you Security Benefit, for sponsoring AND bringing a load of volunteers for the current Junior Leader Reader sessions at Shaner!

11/06/2024

🚨URGENT VOLUNTEER OPENINGS!🚨

We are still in need of volunteers to read to kindergarten and pre-k students starting next week for our Junior Leader Reader program!

Some readings are as short as 15 minutes!

We are especially in need of two Spanish-speaking readers to read to students at Scott Dual Language Elementary next Monday, the 11th.

Sign-up to volunteer for any of our times here: https://www.kawvalleyvolunteers.org/need/index?agency_id=92699&dir=ASC&orderby=earliestShift

It's the easiest way to make a child's day!

10/31/2024

Come read with us!

VOLUNTEER ALERT!
Junior Leader Reader

Our next round of reading to Pre-K and kindergarten students around Shawnee County runs from November 11 to November 22. You don't have to be a Young Leaders Society member to volunteer for these short classroom trips. We provide copies of the book and parent letters for every student. You just pick up your packet at our Topeka office before your visit, show up at the scheduled time and have a blast reading with littles!

Shifts are listed on our digital volunteer platform, KawValleyVolunteers.org under United Way Young Leaders Society. Follow the link to see available schools and times: https://www.kawvalleyvolunteers.org/agency/detail/?agency_id=92699

10/09/2024

There's a spooooooky volunteer opportunity coming your way! 👻🎃

We are once again teaming up with our friends at Forge to host our annual "Trick-or-Treat on the Trail" at Pine Ridge Prep-Topeka Public Schools on Monday, Oct 28 from 5-7 pm!

Each year, YLS and Forge transform the Born Learning trail at Pine Ridge into a Halloween celebration for children in the Pine Ridge public housing neighborhood. Kids will have the chance to trick-or-treat for candy and books, as well as participate in fun activities, and even hay-rack rides!

You can join our Halloween celebration by helping to pass out candy at one of our tables. Volunteers will need to arrive at Pine Ridge Prep by 4:45 pm. Candy will be provided.

Sign-up to volunteer here: https://www.kawvalleyvolunteers.org/need/detail/?need_id=999134