During READ/San Diego’s 33rd annual awards event celebrating adult learners and their volunteer tutors, the Jane Rappoport 10-Year Veteran Tutor Award premiered to honor longtime READ volunteer tutor Jane Rappoport. Jane’s husband, Allan, contacted Development Manager Kymberly Mueller with the goal of supporting READ/San Diego and honoring his wife. The philanthropic solution was to make a generous annual gift in perpetuity through a Donor Advised Fund.
Jane’s love of reading helped her to be an A student throughout her lively upbringing. Her father served in the Navy during both World Wars and her stepfather served in the Army Air Corps. As a military child, Jane attended 22 different schools before graduating from the Frankfurt American High School in 1947 during the U.S. occupation of Germany.
In Washington, D.C., Jane began her career dedicated to education by working in the Library of Congress and later assisting the Chairman of the Congressional Ways and Means Committee who interfaced regularly with President Truman.
Jane met and married Allan Rappoport at a downtown D.C. church that was heavily involved in the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement. There she met Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph Abernathy who preached several times at the Church. Through the 60’s, Jane returned to her love of reading by becoming a DC Laubauch Reading Tutor. The Rappoports moved to San Diego in 1978 after Allan was transferred by his job with the Treasury Department.
Jane helped empower hundreds of adult learners as a READ/San Diego tutor.
In San Diego, Jane worked in the Planning Department at the Port of San Diego until her retirement in 1994. Inspired by an article in Ann Landers, Jane first joined READ as a tutor in 1990 at the Carson Center, READ’s partnership learning site in Linda Vista. She has helped empower hundreds of adult learners to build fundamental reading and writing skills. Jane served as a volunteer tutor for fifteen years, leading small groups and working one-on-one with students. For her service, Jane was recognized by READ with the Rebecca Lytle Tutor of the Year award in 1999 for her commitment and service to adult literacy.
Jane counts Read/San Diego as her second true love where she felt privileged to meet, work with, and share the vision of the hardest working, extraordinarily dedicated, and most wonderful people she has ever met. As for her first true love, Jane and Allan now have been married for over 62 years. Ninety-year-old Allan surprised his wife with the gift in perpetuity for Jane’s much-beloved adult literacy program. Thanks to the generosity of tutors like Jane, READ/San Diego will continue to work every day to make a difference in San Diegan’s lives by empowering them to read.
By setting up a Donor Advised Fund in support of READ/San Diego and in honor of Jane, the entire Rappoport Family – parents, children, and grandchildren – aligned their financial and estate goals with their shared values. The Rappoport Family is delighted with the result, and able to see the impact they have created together.
Please contact Director of Major & Planned Gifts Kymberly Mueller at (619) 238‑6641 or by email or Chief Strategy and Engagement Officer Natalie Ganz at (619) 238‑6643 or by email to learn how you can name the Library Foundation as a beneficiary of your trust, retirement plan, or life insurance.
