Nonprofit would boost children's literacy in Pittsburgh area

Ryan Scarola has a vision to serve children in the Beltzhoover and Mount Oliver neighborhoods with free books, after-school programming and creative writing workshops through a new nonprofit, The Reading Room.

A fundraiser May 15 at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall helped launch that mission.

There, about 30 people gathered for a Banned Book Trivia Night — an evening of food, fun and games that raised more than $7,000 to help launch The Reading Room Inc., a children’s literacy nonprofit.

Teams played trivia games based on frequently challenged books, from “The Handmaid’s Tale” to “The Hate U Give,” and bid on silent auction items.

“This night wasn’t just about trivia,” said Scarola, founder of The Reading Room. “We are deeply concerned about our children’s future in this region and want to change that through children’s literacy, self advocacy, agency and leadership skills.”

Scarola said his organization selected the Beltzhoover and Mount Oliver area for The Reading Room’s location because test scores at Arlington Elementary indicate an extreme need for literacy assistance. Only about 10% of students there were reading proficiently at grade level, according to the Department of Education.

“It’s also extremely supportive and welcoming to new businesses,” Scarola said. “The Hilltop Alliance has wonderful incentives for opening a small business or nonprofit organization in that area.”

For Scarola, The Reading Room is a confluence of meeting community needs, his own love for reading and his experience as a parent.

“I’m an adoptive parent twice over, and when my daughter, Ann, was born in 2024, I felt compelled to act after having been involved with so many birth moms facing the choice to make adoption plans because they were located in areas without resources to assist single moms,” he said.

“I wanted to take my love for reading that was ignited by LeVar Burton and Reading Rainbow and cultivated by educations like Mrs. Mary Ann Lynch at Centeral Catholic and later Dr. ‘Doc’ Thomas Hohler at North Catholic, and married it with some charitable act, and that’s how The Reading Room Pittsburgh was conceived.”

Scarola said The Reading Room continues to seek funding and anticipates opening a fully functioning bookstore before winter.

He said people can support The Reading Room through financial or book donations. An online donation platform is available on the organization’s website, readingroompgh.org. People can also email Scarola at ryan@readingroompgh.org.