Healthy Cities Tutoring was excited to participate in the 2026 Hometown Days celebration during the weekend of May 16–17. We joined the annual parade alongside the Friends of the Library, handing out coupons for free books at the monthly library book sale and enjoying the festive community spirit that makes Hometown Days such a special tradition.

Throughout the weekend, we also hosted a Healthy Cities Tutoring booth where we shared information about our mission to strengthen our communities by supporting students through free tutoring and mentorship. One of the highlights for many children was our “Spin the Wheel” game, where every participant walked away with a fun prize.

Healthy Cities Tutoring was founded in San Carlos, and we are proud to be part of such a vibrant and supportive community. We always enjoy celebrating alongside our neighbors at Hometown Days and connecting with families, volunteers, and supporters throughout the weekend.

(Pictured above: Irene Ruiz, HCT Board President, Marina Mendez, Alex Kim, Olivia Bravo, Keily Monterrosa)

This year, Healthy Cities Tutoring was fortunate to have an incredible group of 59 high school seniors who each volunteered as tutors with our program for a minimum of two years. These dedicated students have truly become the backbone of our organization, generously giving their time each week to support younger students in our community.

During the event, we heard from tutor/tutee pair Julia Hoffacker (high school volunteer tutor) and Kai (tutee), who have worked together for the past 3 years. It was heartwarming to hear them share stories about their tutoring sessions and the special bond they have built over time. Their relationship perfectly reflected the meaningful connections that make tutoring so impactful.

To recognize the commitment and service of our graduating seniors, Healthy Cities Tutoring awarded five $1,000 college scholarships through a random drawing. Congratulations to this year’s scholarship recipients:

1. Sofia Aguilar
2. Olivia Bravo
3. Alex Kim
4. Marina Mendez
5. Keily Monterrosa

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all of our graduating seniors and wish them the very best in their future endeavors. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules each week to mentor and support younger students. Your kindness, leadership, and dedication have made a lasting difference in our community.

(Pictured above: Joyce Strauss receiving a special gift for 30 years of service from HCT Founder, Donna Becht)

On Wednesday, May 13, 2026, we gathered at Mustang Hall at Central Middle School for our annual Volunteer Recognition Reception to celebrate the incredible tutors who make Healthy Cities Tutoring possible. This year, 311 students across three school districts, 14 schools, and the Siena Youth Center were supported by our dedicated volunteer tutors.

A special highlight of the evening was honoring Joyce Strauss, our very first tutor, who has just completed her 30th year of tutoring with Healthy Cities Tutoring. We are deeply grateful for Joyce’s extraordinary commitment and the countless students whose lives she has impacted over the years. Donna Becht, founder of Healthy Cities Tutoring, shared a moving reflection on Joyce’s service and the organization’s early beginnings.

Healthy Cities Tutoring is fortunate to have a strong partnership with the Friends of the San Carlos Library. They have been valued supporters of ours and the many tutors and students who use the San Carlos Public Library as a meeting place each week. Linda Townsend, President of the Friends of the San Carlos Library Board, joined us to present a check and to highlight the benefits of our program.

We also recognized tutors celebrating milestone years of service:

20 YEARS: Joanne Chow

15 YEARS: Ben Wu

10 YEARS: Brian Murphy, Sara Mancini, Barbara Haas, Art Kauffman

5 YEARS: Gayle Hoch, Sarah Kelsey, Tracy Park, Alpa Vyas, Jon Burt, Frank Hane, Carol Rhodes, Barb Finnegan, Molly Rosenberg

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all of our tutors, staff, and supporters for the time, care, and dedication they bring to our students and families each year. Your commitment continues to strengthen our communities and help students succeed.

(Pictured above: Linda Townsend presenting Georganne Morin, HCT ED, and Irene Ruiz, HCT Board of Directors President with a check; 5 Years of Service Awardees; 20 Years of Service Awardee, Joanne Chow; and some of the assembled guests)

(pictured from left to right: “Perfect Pairing” speakers, Eileen and Abraham; Teen Volunteer speaker, Chris Velasco; auction bidding in action)

Our annual Perfect Pairings fundraising dinner was held on Saturday, March 14, and once again proved to be a wonderful evening in support of Healthy Cities Tutoring. Supporters, tutors, students, and families gathered at the Alexandria to celebrate another year of strengthening our communities through education and mentorship.

Guests enjoyed delicious appetizers while live music from the Woodside High School Jazz Ensemble set the tone for the evening. During the dinner program, we heard an inspiring story from tutor/tutee pair Eileen Andrade-Kitching (tutor) and her tutee, Abraham, whose relationship beautifully reflected the impact of our program. The evening also included a lively auction and a fun round of Heads or Tails.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who attended, donated, volunteered, and supported the event. Your continued generosity helps us provide free tutoring and mentorship to students and families in our community, and we are honored to have you as part of the Healthy Cities Tutoring family.

PERFECT PAIRINGS – March 14, 2026 – BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW

The 13th Annual Perfect Pairings Benefit Gala is coming on March 14th!

Visit the event website to learn more and click here to buy your tickets.

Perfect Pairings is an evening that brings our community together around great food, great wine, and a great cause. Connect with friends, neighbors, and fellow supporters while making a meaningful local impact

Interested in becoming a Perfect Pairings sponsor? Visit our Sponsorship page to learn more and choose which level is right for you. Your sponsorship support directly impacts hundreds of students and families in our community.

More details coming soon, we truly hope to see you there for an unforgettable evening in support of our students.

We are deeply grateful to the Friends of the San Carlos Library for their generous support of Healthy Cities Tutoring. At this year’s Volunteer Recognition Reception, Amy Schwimmer, President of the Friends of the Library, presented HCT with an incredible $25,000 donation to help sustain and grow our program in San Carlos elementary and middle schools during the upcoming school year.

This funding will allow us to recruit, train, and match even more volunteer tutors with students who need support, nurturing academic growth, confidence, and a love of learning. While most tutoring takes place after school at local campuses, we’re proud that more than 50 tutor-student pairs meet weekly at the San Carlos Public Library. We look forward to strengthening this wonderful partnership!

Looking for a way to keep your child reading this summer?

The San Carlos Public Library’s Summer Learning Challenge is a fantastic (and free!) program for kids of all ages. Participants can earn fun prizes just by reading!

👉 Click here to register and explore upcoming children’s events.

If you live in Redwood City, check out the Redwood City Public Library’s Summer Learning Challenge for more ways to keep your young readers engaged.

Join us for a workshop on social emotional learning led by clifford school counselor, Renee rodriguez

Please RSVP below for our upcoming Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Training. This event is for new and returning tutors.

RSVP to let us know you’re coming!

New and returning tutors will find it valuable to attend one of our upcoming Tutor Tips Workshops (In Person and Zoom options) and new tutors will benefit from a New Tutor Orientation session where we review all you need to know about being an HCT volunteer Tutor.

Please RSVP to let us know you’re coming.

Please RSVP to let us know you’re coming.

Amy Schwimmer, President of the Friends of the San Carlos Library and Linda Townsend, Arundel Librarian extraordinaire, attended the Healthy Cities Tutoring Volunteer Recognition Reception and graciously presented us with a generous $25,000 donation to help support the HCT program in the San Carlos elementary and middle schools in the next school year.

Fall 2023 Training and Workshops.

We are pleased to offer many different workshops and training opportunities to our volunteers. For teen tutors to adults, new tutors to returning tutors, there’s bound to be something for you. Even if you just want to drop in to one of our monthly zoom check in meetings, please do! we’d love to see you and hear more about your experience this year.

View our full calendar of training and workshop events here.

Child Safety Policy Review

Join us for an informal Q&A session reviewing our existing Child Safety Policy and requirements we’ve implemented to comply with new California state law. All adult tutors will be required to complete a free online training related to reporting child abuse and neglect.

• Many adult tutors will be required to update their Live Scan background check.
• This session will be recorded and posted to our website.
• View our full calendar of training for the year here.

In the coming weeks, you will get specific directions about how to complete the requirements that affect you.

Click here to RSVP and receive the Zoom link for the Child Safety Policy Review session.

Calling all teen tutors!

Join us for an upcoming Teen Tutor Training and learn more about what it takes to be an effective tutor and mentor to students in our program.

• Three sessions to choose from, all teens must attend one.
• Review best practices for volunteering for HCT.
• Share tutoring tips with others and learn from peers about how to connect with your tutee.
• Meet other teen volunteers and HCT staff.
• Review HCT resources and tools for supporting your student even when they say they have no work to do!
• If you can’t attend one of these sessions let us know so we can make other arrangements to give you your tutoring packet.

RSVP here

Fall Training: Tutor Tips WorkshoP & New Tutor Orientation Don’t miss our Fall Tutor Tips Training led by HCT staff. Learn valuable techniques for engaging and supporting your students.

Tues, Sept 12: 7pm – 8pm

Location: San Carlos Adult Community Center, 601 Chestnut St, San Carlos. RSVP now

Special spotlight on experienced tutor Ken Kay, who shares his best practices for communicating with your tutee and their family. View our full calendar of training for the year here.