Reading Partners

I don’t like giving 1-​star reviews, especially to a non-​profit organization that tutors children whose reading level is below their grade average, but I gave them a chance. I really did. I called the Sobrato Center for Nonprofits where Reading Partners’ administrative office is, about why I needed to give them my SS# and DL# just to volunteer as a tutor, and I left a message a week ago. The operator told me that providing the information was mandatory, but didn’t tell me why, so I also emailed the lady in charge to no avail. If I’m doing this organization a favor by volunteering my time, then the least they could do is tell me why they want to collect your most intimate information. Of course, I would never give it to them, and neither should you when an organization makes you pay for your own background check (livescan fingerprinting) just so they can collect your information. They say it’s confidential, but anyone could say that, and you have no reason to trust Reading Partners. Unless Reading Partners reforms their policies, I see no reason why anyone would want to volunteer for them. That said, the real victims here are the children who could benefit from having one-​on-​one sessions with new tutors, but Reading Partner’s unreasonable demands just drives people away.
Reading Partners does reimburse tutors if they get fingerprinted, but having to give them your SS# sounds like a terrible bargain for future tutors. Don’t trust them!