At United Through Reading (UTR), our mission thrives thanks to our amazing volunteers who foster military family connections, support local events, and share our story.

This month, we’re proud to feature Paloma Bentz, whose passion for supporting military families is truly inspiring. We invite you to read Paloma’s story below:

The first time my family used UTR was in 2007. My oldest daughter’s dad had deployed with the Army and recorded If You Give a Mouse a Cookie through the program. He received the book and a CD of the recording, and though my daughter was just a baby, that video became her favorite for years and played on repeat in our house!

Today, my husband is in the Marine Corps, and our family uses the UTR app to record books for our three-year-old. I know firsthand how powerful it is to stay connected during a deployment and wanted to give back. Through UTR, I’ve volunteered at MCCS events at Camp Lejeune and New River, including summer reading programs, back-to-school events, and festivals. I’ve even set up recording events.

I chose to volunteer with United Through Reading because I believe in its mission of strengthening military family bonds through reading. I like how easy the UTR app makes it for deployed service members to stay connected to their families.

My favorite memory as a volunteer has been sharing this experience with my own children. Before leaving for college, my oldest daughter volunteered alongside me at every event. Serving our military community together while teaching my daughters the importance of giving back has been incredibly meaningful to me.

There’s nothing quite like seeing the excitement on children’s faces as they choose a book to take home. Literacy is the foundation of lifelong learning, and often, we get to help families begin that journey with their little ones.

If you’re considering volunteering with United Through Reading, take the leap. Whether you can give an hour or more, know that it truly makes a difference. You’ll leave each event knowing you helped keep families connected and created lasting memories during a difficult time of being apart. I am so grateful to be a part of this team.

We love having Paloma on our team, and we are so grateful for all that she does for the organization and her community!

Inspired by Paloma’s story? Learn more about volunteering with UTR and how you can get involved.