About Us
In the heart of Boston’s South End, Bill Wolff has found a new calling: He’s changing the lives of young readers one page at a time.
Retired after 40 years in the insurance industry, Bill signed up to help elementary school children discover the joy of reading. He volunteers with Literations, a Boston-based program partner of AARP Foundation Experience Corps, which pairs older adult volunteers with students in grades 1-4 to help them read at grade level.
“Tutoring can provide powerful support in schools today,” Bill says. He should know; he has dedicated an astounding 10,935 hours to tutoring. As both a tutor and a site team leader at the William Blackstone Elementary School, he’s worked with 54 students and supported 97 fellow volunteers. He recently received the 2024 President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Volunteerism, recognizing his impact on the community and the positive action his service inspires.
“What I love about volunteering is the relationships I’ve built over the years,” Bill says. He believes these positive relationships are truly transformative — something he discovered when he met a second grader who didn’t want to work with any of the tutors. They tried their best, but the boy wouldn’t connect with them.
On a hunch, Bill decided to try something different. Leaving the books behind, he and the student took a walk instead. Bill explained that one day the boy would need to know how to read so he could get a job. That’s when the second grader finally opened up. “I don’t wanna get a job,” he said. He talked about his family’s history of incarceration and his own limited expectations, saying, “I’m gonna go to jail and won’t need any of that stuff.”
That walk taught Bill a lesson. “It’s not just about the reading,” he says. “It was just as important to build relationships with the students. Without developing that relationship with someone, the literacy process won’t be effective.” It’s a realization that’s guided his approach ever since.
Bill’s impact extends beyond the individual students. When the school faced funding cuts, he co-founded Friends of the Blackstone School, which raises money for field trips, professional development and technology. His dedication has made a huge difference and allowed him to forge strong connections with the teachers and students.
In fact, former students come back just to say, “Thank you, Mr. Bill.” Those relationships he worked so hard to build with them continue to bring him joy and fulfillment.
“Retirement gives you a chance to do things you want to do, rather than those you have to do,” Bill says. Through his volunteer work, he’s found a sense of purpose in giving back to his community — the legacy of a man who turned his retirement into a mission of literacy and hope.
Learn more about AARP Foundation Experience Corps and how to become a volunteer.
Read more stories about how our programs have helped people find hope, and about the volunteers who give so much of themselves to help others.