Our annual luncheon, taking place on Oct. 2, 2024, is officially named the 2024 Peace in the Pages in Honor of Roseann Duran, one of many recognitions for Roseann’s transformational, $565,000 legacy gift to READ USA.
Roseann, who passed away earlier this year, leaves behind an indelible legacy on Northeast Florida through her philanthropy, volunteerism, and professional accomplishments that have inspired and supported thousands of people across all walks of life. Her highly successful career traversed the finance and marketing industries, throughout all of which Duran remained grounded in supporting the people within her organizations and across Northeast Florida’s many communities. A natural leader, she was tenacious about community involvement, both professionally and personally, and gave extensively of her time, talent, and treasure to numerous organizations in Jacksonville, which she called home since 1973. Her full obituary is accessible here.
“Roseann’s extraordinary generosity will have a far-reaching impact on literacy and community empowerment, significantly bolstering our efforts to provide high-interest books and high-quality teaching resources to children, teens, and teachers,” said Dr. Rob Kelly, READ USA CEO. “Roseann was a passionate supporter of literacy and READ USA for many years, and we remain emboldened by her steadfast belief in our mission. We are eternally grateful for her investment in the students we serve who ultimately benefit from her extraordinary gift.”
Roseann was also an adventurer, a beloved “Aunt Rosie” to children and grandchildren of family and friends, an animal lover, a fierce tennis competitor, a high school majorette, an executive and business leader… and most impactfully, a genuine human who was dedicated to making the world a better place for all.
“Roseann radiated kindness, empathy, peace, freedom, leadership, and success – the very values that underscore the meaning and purpose behind our Peace in the Pages event and all that we do at READ USA,” said Ellen Wiss, READ USA co-founder and board chair. “To know Roseann and feel her zest for life was an immense blessing, and she will be remembered as someone who has had a transformational impact on countless lives in Northeast Florida for years to come.”
In addition to the 2024 Peace in the Pages in Honor of Roseann Duran, READ USA has created additional acknowledgments in her name, with more to be announced throughout the year:
The Duran Data Portal
Recognized in perpetuity, the READ USA Duran Data Portal is a critical resource in measuring and demonstrating the impact and results of our programming for Duval County Public Schools (DCPS), third-party evaluators, grantmaking organizations, and others. The Duran Data Portal specifically supports our Literacy Tutoring program that trains and pays teens to provide daily, intensive, one-to-one literacy tutoring to DCPS elementary students.
2024 Jeremy’s Journey Series Dedication
The fictional storyteller and namesake of our Jeremy’s Journey through Jacksonville book series, published monthly by READ USA, visits local leaders in Northeast Florida to tell their stories and the importance of literacy in their lives and accomplishments. Each 2024 volume is dedicated in memory and honor of Roseann Duran. The full dedication and a list of volumes are available here.
The READ USA team is immensely grateful for Roseann and looks forward to sharing more about Roseann’s unparalleled legacy and generosity in the future.