Couple Gives Back with Nonprofit Reading Program for Area Students
(AVONDALE ESTATES, Ga.) — Jeremy Rhett and Jennifer Rhett of Decatur have owned and operated CertaPro Painters of Atlanta since 2001. Providing painting services to areas of Intown Atlanta as part of North America’s largest painting company, the couple has had an indelible impact on the community. Yet of their contributions, the couple can point to one that stands out above the rest: their founding of Reading is Essential for All People (REAP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing reading proficiency in public schools.
Jeremy Rhett and Jennifer Rhett have seen family members struggle with reading their entire lives. As a result they learned the value of systematic phonics instruction, in turn discovering its positive impact on all young readers, even those without learning challenges. Finding the tutoring process to be expensive and recognizing the importance of strong foundation in reading, the couple partnered with a reading specialist to create REAP. Their mission was to provide training in the foundations of reading instruction to public school teachers across the Metro Atlanta area.
“As the name of our organization implies, we strongly believed in the value of reading for everyone,” said Jeremy Rhett. “We gained valuable insight into both the tutoring process and the expenses families can incur by taking part in it. Realizing that not everyone can afford to take advantage of specialized tutoring, we decided to leverage our CertaPro Painters business to help those less fortunate in the community with the process.”
A corporate expat from the technology sector, Jeremy Rhett came to purchase CertaPro Painters because he saw tremendous value that quality painting services can provide a community. But both he and wife Jennifer have found value in more than the painting services they provide as they began to use their earnings to fund their non-profit.
“While CertaPro is a national brand, it means a lot that the system allows us to serve as a local company owned by residents of the community we’re serving,” said Jeremy Rhett. “It really provides the best of both worlds: the reputation of a well-respected national brand along with the warmth of a true community business.”
Entering the company’s fourteenth year serving the community, its owners point to the success of their REAP program as the hallmark of their years in business.
“So far we’ve trained 83 teachers and 93 more will begin the program this summer,” said Jeremy Rhett. “We just finished our second year with REAP and the results have been tremendous, impacting over 1,700 students. The fact that we have been able to use CertaPro Painters to fuel something for the greater good makes me proud to be an owner.”
About CertaPro Painters
Founded in 1991, Oaks, Pennsylvania-based CertaPro Painters is the largest painting company in North America with more than 400 locations worldwide, CertaPro provides a customer-driven painting experience for both residential and commercial properties that is unparalleled in the industry. The company’s stellar service and proven business system have made CertaPro North America’s most referred painting company. For more information, visit www.certapro.com.
