On Thursday, April 30, 2026, the Read Alliance will hold its Annual Gala, "Read Imagines," at Tribeca Rooftop, located at 2 Desbrosses Street, in New York City. The gala will include cocktails, dinner and auctions, followed by an afterparty at the locale's rooftop. RPJ has been a staunch supporter of the Read Alliance for more than a decade.
Read Alliance works to improve the educational trajectory of early elementary students powered by teen leaders who provide one-to-one tutoring in foundational reading skills. This unique, dual-impact model of literacy and leadership addresses the achievement gap for younger students while engaging teen leaders in serving their communities.
Since 2000, Read Alliance has engaged more than 13,000 high school youth to provide more than 16,000 kindergarten through second grade students with tutoring in under-resourced communities. On average, the children who complete the phonics-based Read Alliance program improve their reading by one full grade level.
Read Alliance also provides its teen leaders with leadership development, job readiness, professional skills, and economic empowerment programming.
Initially based in New York City, the organization is expanding into upstate New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
RPJ's Mark Moore has served on the Read Alliance board for twelve years, chairs its Governance and Nominating Committee, and serves on its Expansion and Fundraising Committees. RPJ's Helen D. Reavis will once again serve as Auction Chair for the Gala this year, using her wide-ranging resources and hard work to provide participants a broad array of auction items.
At the gala, Read Alliance will be honoring Thomas Darnowski, CEO Americas for the banking firm Schroders, as well as the Michell Family, for their key support of the organization.
More information about the gala and Read Alliance can be found at https://readalliance.org/