Robert Condon, Founder

The late Robert Condon, a literacy advocate and businessman, founded Rolling Readers USA in 1991. When reading aloud to his young children he became aware of significant improvement in their vocabulary and their interest in books. Eager to see if his discovery would hold true for other children, Mr. Condon started reading aloud to kids at a local Head Start center. Within a short time, these Head Start reading sessions proved to have the same positive effects on the children's interest in books as well as a marked increase on their early literacy development.

Mr. Condon recruited a handful of volunteers who began “rolling” into Title I schools and community sites to read to children each week. In 1992, Rolling Readers USA was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. That same year 6,000 books were given to San Diego school children during Rolling Readers' first book giveaway event. In 1993, Rolling Readers opened an office in Los Angeles as part of Rebuild LA, a community-wide effort to restore health and vitality to Los Angeles in the aftermath of the 1992 civil unrest. Beginning in 1997, chapters started forming across the country. Now chapters outside of California have become independent organizations and continue to provide literacy services in their communities.

Rolling Readers USA has received national recognition for its work including the Freedom Fund's George Washington Medal of Honor, the California Teachers Association's Gold Award, the Channel 10 Leadership Award, and the International Reading Association's Celebrate Literacy Award. The U.S. Department of Education has also recognized Rolling Readers USA as a model organization for the America Reads Challenge.