Community

For Dr. Ruth Levitt, learning was an extension of the things that were important to her, including supporting the arts, culture, and the public good. She was a writer, teacher, and scholar, as well as a longtime Room to Read supporter, who donated what she could each month to support educational opportunities for children around the world. She became involved with Room to Read in 2014 and remained a critical friend, lending her keen mind to our strategic plan consultations and diligently reviewing our latest evaluations. A committed academic, Ruth published her last work just months before she passed away and made plans for a legacy gift in support of Room to Read in her final weeks.  

Helen found joy in engaging children in reading and learning, much like Room to Read’s coaches and teachers around the world, and her career as a teacher and librarian allowed her the opportunity to touch the lives of many students. Helen became a fervent supporter of Room to Read later in life when, in 2019, she saw  a Christmas ad in Nieman Marcus and reached out to our staff to learn more. Through a series of meaningful letters and phone calls, our team formed a small community for Helen and kept in touch with her through transitions in her life. When Helen passed away in 2021, she left her entire estate to Room to Read.   

Both Ruth and Helen’s lives revolved around the love of learning and teaching, and their legacies reflect that passion. Through their thoughtfulness and generosity, these two women contributed two of the largest legacy gifts Room to Read has ever received. Ruth and Helen’s thirst for knowledge lives on in the 100,000 students who will now have access to the quality education they deserve. These eager, young learners will acquire the skills they need to reach their full potential and lift their communities in the process. The number of lives that have and will be transformed by Ruth and Helen’s tremendous legacies is truly unquantifiable.