Our Team 

Founder & Executive Director

Jordan Grabelle

Love Letters was founded by Jordan Grabelle when she was ten years old. Jordan is now in college at Duke University and has expanded Love Letters from a small service project into a global nonprofit. Jordan launched Love Letters when she learned that many children were entering kindergarten without knowing more than two letters of the alphabet. As an avid reader she wanted to make a difference and help these children on the road to literacy. She grew up learning her ABCs by playing games with her mom using large colorful foam letters. Since donating foam letters would be too expensive, she thought of an innovative cost effective solution – recruit volunteers to make letter flashcards to donate along with fun games for families to play at home with their children.

Hometown: Voorhees, NJ

Education:
Duke University, Class of 2026
Major, Public Policy; Minor, Psychology

Favorite Children’s Book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Intern

Sarah Abassy

Why volunteer with us: Growing up I used to always get in trouble at school for constantly having my nose in a book. Reading has always been one of my favorite hobbies and I would love to help others experience how wonderful it is. I believe that education is the most important thing, and a lot of children do not have the privilege of having access to it. Reading and books have created so many great memories for me, and to this day my mom and I still laugh about certain characters and stories that we read together many, many years ago. I would love for other children to experience this, which is why I think that Love Letters for Litercy is a beautiful organization. I love what Love Letters stands for, and I hope that my work here can make a difference for at least a few children. 

Training & Development Manager

Emily Akin

I was a huge bookworm as a kid. Learning to read was a bit of a struggle for me but once I got better you couldn’t take a book out of my hands. I grew up with the characters in my books and am so thankful to have learned through their different experiences. I’ve loved working with Love Letters because I think it’s so important for children to have the opportunity to read young and well and broaden their horizons. I’ve learned from my books that there’s so many possibilities in life and I love being able to share that with children through Love Letters. 

Intern

Olivia Amorosi

I volunteer with LLL to ensure that a greater number of children across the globe are given access to educational opportunities. When myself and those around me grew up with extensive access to education and the future opportunities that come with that access to education at a young age, we can easily forget that many people around the world don’t have this same access or opportunity. For this reason, it becomes infinitely more important to recognize this inequality and push to change it, so children are not only able to learn but have the ability to love to learn as well. I believe that LLL helps to push this initiative and makes a difference in the educational paths of many young children globally.

Intern

Carlos Cordero

Language is important because it serves as a bridge for people from different backgrounds and cultures. As someone who learned English as a second language during elementary school, I had the privilege of having a personal tutor who taught me. However, I realized that not everyone in this world has this privilege and it is something I want to change by contributing to Love Letters for Literacy.

One aspect that helped me a lot in learning English was phonetics. It gave me the skills and abilities to articulate sounds properly, which is very important when learning new alphabet letters and pronunciation of words in different languages.

My decision to volunteer for Love Letters for Literacy is rooted in my commitment to supporting others in their literacy journey. I believe that words can bring a positive change in an individual’s life and Love Letters for Literacy encourages that positive change helping children learn and expand on their journey into learning languages.

Intern

Eman Fatima

Originating from Pakistan, I am an immigrant, and my experiences in a country that is still recovering from colonialism have ignited a profound passion for education, especially for young children. I firmly believe that education should not be a privilege but a human right. I am majoring in Diplomacy and International Relations and hope to collaborate with Peace Corps and the United Nations in the future. 

My passion for education and international cooperation has coalesced into a heartfelt decision to engage with Love Letters for Literacy. This organization resonates with my values and allows me to actively channel my energies into a cause that mirrors my beliefs and aspirations.

Intern

Jayden Reid

I decided to intern for Love Letters for Literacy upon reading their mission statement. Their dedication to improving childhood literacy rates combined with the warm embrace I was met with upon my arrival has made my internship experience blissful. As an individual who has fell in love with reading, Love Letters for Literacy acts as the bridge between my passion for reading and wanting to help those in need. 

Intern

Mason Schlesinger

My great grandmother immigrated to the United States when she was seventy-five years old. I witnessed firsthand how difficult it was for her to both survive in her new country without being able to read English and to begin learning to read a new language later in life. Her experience made me realize the importance of learning to read, especially at a young age.

Intern

Morgan Sumpter

I’m volunteering with Love Letters for Literary because of their overall mission of service and inclusion. Love Letters for Literacy allows volunteers to give back to their community and ensure that all kids who are entering Kindergarten have the same access to learning the alphabet just like their peers.

Intern

Amara Wadhwani

As a zealous student of English Literature, hoping to study the subject at university, reading has always been more than a simple hobby or timepass to me. I was drawn to intern with Love Letters because it gave me an opportunity share my passion with others, helping children to embark upon their own amazing literary journeys. When working with Love Letters, I wish to inspire young minds about the joy of reading and help them recognise the power of their own imaginations and creativity when learning. I am eager to inspire the life-changing impacts that learning to read at a young age can have upon children whilst doing my best to instil a love for reading within them.

Intern

Kendall Zimmerman

I decided to intern with Love Letters for Literacy because I have always been passionate about ensuring access to a quality education for all children. I firmly believe that Love Letters for Literacy’s early intervention approach plays a pivotal role in setting children up for a more successful academic career. This aligns perfectly with my own values and aspirations, and I am eager to contribute to this important cause.