VOLUNTEERS TO WRAP 500 NEW BOOKS FOR CHILDREN IN NEED
Two area non-profits partner to inspire a love of reading
(CHARLOTTE, NC – December 2, 2009): First Book-Charlotte has donated 500 new books for local children of low-income families. The children will receive the books as gifts at their holiday celebrations at YMCA Starfish Academy.
“First Book addresses one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books,” says Colleen Ludington, founder of the First Book chapter in Charlotte. “We are thrilled to be able to provide these books to students at YMCA Starfish Academy and having the books wrapped as presents will add to the excitement the children will feel when they receive a book.”
YMCA Starfish Academy is a literacy based after-school program that serves at risk children in several CMS schools across the district whose reading proficiency is below grade level. The academy has been successful by improving the outcome for students who might otherwise fall behind.
Since 2007 First Book-Charlotte has donated over 5000 books to children at YMCA Starfish Academy through grants and special distributions.
Volunteers will help gift wrap donated books on Thursday, December 10, at 6:00 p.m.
The books will be given to the children the following week at the academy’s five after-school locations. The media is welcome to attend the book wrapping event and the delivery of the books to the children (information about book delivery dates provided upon request).
The Johnston YMCA is located at 3025 N. Davidson Street, Charlotte, NC 28205
About First Book
First Book provides new books to children in need addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books. An innovative leader in social enterprise, First Book has distributed more than 65 million free and low cost books in thousands of communities. First Book has offices in the U.S. and Canada. For more information about the nonprofit First Book please visit www.firstbook.org.
About First Book-Charlotte
First Book - Charlotte is part of First Book’s national network of volunteer-led Advisory Boards who provide new books to children in need in communities across the country. Comprised of volunteers from all sectors of the community, First Book - Charlotte works to promote and facilitate the distribution of new books to children of literacy programs in Greater Charlotte area, and has provided grants for more than 80,000 new books in Mecklenburg & Union counties in since 2006. For more information, please visit www.FirstBookCharlotte.org.
About YMCA Starfish Academy
YMCA Starfish Academy is a literacy camp and after-school program for rising first and second grade children. The program was developed in 1999 to meet the needs of children from low income schools whose reading proficiency was below grade level. Providing children with six weeks of academic instruction during the summer vacation, the academy has been successful by improving the outcome for students who might otherwise fall behind. Since opening, YMCA Starfish Academy has served over 2600 students at twelve sites. YMCA Starfish Academy is operated by the YMCA of Greater Charlotte. For more information visit www.ymcacharlotte.org.
About the YMCA of Greater Charlotte
The YMCA of Greater Charlotte, a United Way member agency, is comprised of 21 locations, 900 square miles and many more program sites in Southern Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, and Union Counties. The YMCA of Greater Charlotte reaches over 280,000 people, including 86,039 children and teens, through membership, program participation, volunteerism and philanthropy. The YMCA’s pledge is that no one will be denied service based on income and the organization has distributed more than $4.5 million in financial assistance serving approximately 12% of our membership. The 135-year-old non-profit organization serves its community with a continuum of educational and recreational programs that foster healthy spirit, mind and body. For more information visit www.ymcacharlotte.org.
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(CHARLOTTE, NC – December 2, 2009): First Book-Charlotte has donated 500 new books for local children of low-income families. The children will receive the books as gifts at their holiday celebrations at YMCA Starfish Academy.
“First Book addresses one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books,” says Colleen Ludington, founder of the First Book chapter in Charlotte. “We are thrilled to be able to provide these books to students at YMCA Starfish Academy and having the books wrapped as presents will add to the excitement the children will feel when they receive a book.”
YMCA Starfish Academy is a literacy based after-school program that serves at risk children in several CMS schools across the district whose reading proficiency is below grade level. The academy has been successful by improving the outcome for students who might otherwise fall behind.
Since 2007 First Book-Charlotte has donated over 5000 books to children at YMCA Starfish Academy through grants and special distributions.
Volunteers will help gift wrap donated books on Thursday, December 10, at 6:00 p.m.
The books will be given to the children the following week at the academy’s five after-school locations. The media is welcome to attend the book wrapping event and the delivery of the books to the children (information about book delivery dates provided upon request).
The Johnston YMCA is located at 3025 N. Davidson Street, Charlotte, NC 28205
About First Book
First Book provides new books to children in need addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books. An innovative leader in social enterprise, First Book has distributed more than 65 million free and low cost books in thousands of communities. First Book has offices in the U.S. and Canada. For more information about the nonprofit First Book please visit www.firstbook.org.
About First Book-Charlotte
First Book - Charlotte is part of First Book’s national network of volunteer-led Advisory Boards who provide new books to children in need in communities across the country. Comprised of volunteers from all sectors of the community, First Book - Charlotte works to promote and facilitate the distribution of new books to children of literacy programs in Greater Charlotte area, and has provided grants for more than 80,000 new books in Mecklenburg & Union counties in since 2006. For more information, please visit www.FirstBookCharlotte.org.
About YMCA Starfish Academy
YMCA Starfish Academy is a literacy camp and after-school program for rising first and second grade children. The program was developed in 1999 to meet the needs of children from low income schools whose reading proficiency was below grade level. Providing children with six weeks of academic instruction during the summer vacation, the academy has been successful by improving the outcome for students who might otherwise fall behind. Since opening, YMCA Starfish Academy has served over 2600 students at twelve sites. YMCA Starfish Academy is operated by the YMCA of Greater Charlotte. For more information visit www.ymcacharlotte.org.
About the YMCA of Greater Charlotte
The YMCA of Greater Charlotte, a United Way member agency, is comprised of 21 locations, 900 square miles and many more program sites in Southern Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, and Union Counties. The YMCA of Greater Charlotte reaches over 280,000 people, including 86,039 children and teens, through membership, program participation, volunteerism and philanthropy. The YMCA’s pledge is that no one will be denied service based on income and the organization has distributed more than $4.5 million in financial assistance serving approximately 12% of our membership. The 135-year-old non-profit organization serves its community with a continuum of educational and recreational programs that foster healthy spirit, mind and body. For more information visit www.ymcacharlotte.org.
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