Read to Succeed Asheville/Buncombe
We are on a mission to help close the race-based opportunity gap through community-powered literacy programming that engages children, families, and community partners.

Who We Are

We believe in working as a community to build an equitable world where all children are strong, confident readers who succeed in school and in life.  Founded by Isaac Coleman and a group of community activists, R2S has served more than 2,500 PreK- 5th grade students over the past fifteen years. Read more about our vision, mission, and core values here.

What We Do

Read to Succeed Asheville/Buncombe advocates for children's literacy through kindergarten-readiness programming with children birth to five-years-old, one-to-one and small group tutoring with K-5th grade students, and community-powered literacy programming with families and community partners. Learn more here.

Who We Serve

With closing the opportunity gap in mind, our goal is to support students in learning to read at grade level. We serve children and their families in Asheville and Buncombe County, through community PreK and elementary after-school programs as well as in partnership with Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County Schools systems.
“Literacy unlocks the door to learning throughout the life, is essential to development and health, and opens the way for democratic participation and active citizenship.”

- Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations

The Literacy Crisis & the Opportunity Gap

One of the most potent ways to support a child’s academic and life success is by supporting their literacy achievement at an early age. In the U.S., however, two out of every three 4th grade students does not read at grade level. There is a literacy crisis occurring across our country and in our Western North Carolina communities. Many children enter kindergarten already behind in their reading, and research shows that students not reading on grade level by the end of third grade are 4X more likely than their peers to drop out of school.

Asheville has the fifth largest achievement gap nationwide and the largest racial achievement gap between Black and white students statewide for all of North Carolina’s 115 school districts.
Source: North Carolina School Report Cards
Together, we can change the story for children in Asheville and Buncombe County and support them in unlocking a brighter future.

Our Impact

Donate to Read to Succeed Asheville/Buncombe

Donate today to help Read to Succeed Asheville/Buncombe support students in learning to read at grade-level through one-to-one tutoring and community-powered literacy programming.

Recent Blog Posts

9/30/25
Check out a fun Q&A with our new Tutor & Volunteer Coordinator Traqoya, and learn more about who is she, why she came to the new role, and what she is looking forward to!
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9/16/25
Calling our R2S family—volunteers, community partners, donors, board members, educators, families, and friends! We can’t wait to gather with you at the 5th Annual R2S Fall Mixer on Wednesday, October 1st, from 5:30–7:30 PM at River Arts District Brewing Company.​
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9/1/25
September is National Literacy Month, and our friends at River Arts District Brewing Company are celebrating by giving back. All month long, you can round up at the register to support Read 2 Succeed’s high-impact literacy programs.
​Read More

Read to Succeed Community Partners

A special thank you to the ongoing support and generosity of our outstanding community partners.
12 Bones Smokehouse & Brewing
Alabama Literacy Association
Bank of America
Betty Boards AVL
Books for Good, Inc.
Book Harvest
Buncombe County
Buncombe County Public Libraries
Burial Beer
CareSource Foundation
Cholorphyll
Claxton Elementary
Community Foundation of WNC
Corner Kitchen
CoThinkk
The Country Day School
Cuentos y Café
Delighted Gift Shop
Dogwood Health Trust
Dollar General Literacy Foundation
DonateStock
Firestorm Books & Coffee
Flora
Fox & Beaux
Haywood Common
The Hop Ice Cream
Housing Authority of the City of Asheville
Jack & Ann Glenn Foundation
Junior League of Asheville
Julian Woods Retirement Community
JW Bell
Kendra Scott, LLC
Kick It Events
Lilly Pulitzer
Literacy Together
Lucky Dice Nails
Malaprops Bookstore
Modera Wealth Management
Mountain Xpress (Give!Local)
Nora Roberts Foundation
rPainter’s Greenhouse
Rainbow Community School
Reem’s Creek Nursery
Retrocade
River Arts District Brewing Co.
Saratoga Children’s Literacy League
Scout Boutique
Second Gear
Self-Help Credit Union
Sunny Point Cafe
Sunstone Foundation
Sutherland Foundation
Tanger Outlets Asheville
Telus Foundation
Terra Tech Education
Turning Sun School
United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County
Warren Wilson Presbyterian Church Chapel
WNC Bridge Foundation