Kids Need to Read was the fortunate recipient of a generous $25,000 grant award from Thunderbirds Charities. The funds will be used to provide over 60,000 disadvantaged children and their families with vital access to books, interactive literacy events, bilingual educational materials, and family reading relief packages via the Page Coach, Kids Need to Read’s mobile conveyor of literary treasure.
The Page Coach was selected for funding because of its ability to reach areas throughout Arizona traditionally overlooked by many literacy programs, including low socioeconomic and remote areas where children sometimes live in so-called “book deserts”: neighborhoods and school systems so severely devoid of books and other reading materials that, without intervention, the cycle of illiteracy stands little chance of being broken.
“Ensuring that children have access to books is vital to breaking the cycle of generational illiteracy that exists in many impoverished areas of the state,” said Kids Need to Read co-founder Denise Gary. “The Page Coach makes it possible to deliver books to children living in areas where the need is greatest. We believe that books can provide children with the ability to dream of a life beyond their current challenges and to follow those dreams.”
“Thunderbirds Charities is happy to support Kids Need to Read’s “Page Coach” program,” added Scott Jenkins, President of Thunderbirds Charities. “We want to make sure every child has access to books and educational materials because we know that the ability to read is so critical for their success in school and beyond. This program brings families together through the joy of reading.”
Together, Kids Need to Read and Thunderbirds Charities are working to help children discover the joy of reading and the power of a literate mind.
Founded with a passion to improve the lives of disadvantaged children by providing inspiring book collections and engaging literacy programs to underfunded schools, libraries, and organizations across the nation, Kids Need to Read aspires to empower and embolden every last child through a culture of reading. For many of the children it serves, Kids Need to Read represents a crucial link to a strong literacy education, and its programs help build and nurture support systems for the development of literate minds. By immersing children in an integrated world of literary experiences that teaches them, firsthand, the impact of reading on every aspect of life, imagination is ignited and confidence is built for a prosperous future, regardless of race, economic status, or personal capabilities.
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