The REAL Program

The REAL Program is a tutoring service in Lynn, MA, located at 17 Atlantic St. Founded in 2013, this nonprofit organization operates with a mission to improve literacy through a cradle-to-career approach that serves children, families, and adults. The organization provides a continuum of educational support designed to address literacy challenges at every stage of life.

The program operates through six core initiatives. For young learners ages 3 to 5, the Starting Small preschool is inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy and is led by Preschool Director Tammie Galland and Lead Teacher Autumn Kane. The Before Home program supports children from the Brickett School with tutoring, reading assistance, healthy snacks, clubs, and outdoor activities, utilizing volunteer teachers and an outdoor classroom. For older students, the REALSTREAM program facilitates summer learning through field trips, arts, literacy, and mentorship involving local college students and interns. To address the digital divide, the organization provides digital literacy support, with participants logging more than 10,000 minutes of support through classroom instruction and Khan Academy in 2025. The organization also offers year-round ESL classes for adult learners, primarily immigrant women, led by instructors Sarah Oakley and Mary Klug. Classes meet in-person at 17 Atlantic Street and via Zoom. A network of 45+ Little Free Libraries has been established throughout the city to ensure consistent access to books, with over 380,000 books distributed to date.

The organization is guided by Founder and Executive Director Jan, who brings over 40 years of experience as an educator and nonprofit leader. The Board of Directors includes President Dr. Walter Stone, Treasurer Kate Greehan, Secretary Gerda Pasquarello, and members Victor Ferreira and Susan Cronin. The program emphasizes intergenerational learning, where students who grow up in the program, such as teaching intern Crystal Fernandez, return to support younger learners.

The REAL Program holds a rating of 4.90 based on customer reviews. Having served the area for more than 13 years, the nonprofit is known for its community-centered approach and its ability to provide a full literacy pathway within the city. By empowering parents and children alike, the organization helps break the cycle of poverty and builds brighter futures for Lynn’s residents.

BizScoreAI awarded the business a Content Quality score of 100 out of 100, which ensures the website answers customer questions clearly so AI assistants can quote it directly. The organization also received a Technical score of 97 out of 100, confirming the site is secure and indexable for search engines to read without errors.