“You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child.”
These words from Dr. Seuss are more than rhyming advice; they also echo the passionate mission of the South Sound Reading Foundation, which serves more than 800 children, youth, and families a week across Thurston and Mason counties.
The Foundation exists to “educate and remind families about the importance of reading each day and strive to get books into every home so that every child reads or is read with at least 20 minutes a day. Daily family reading helps children develop a larger vocabulary, a longer attention span, and better listening skills—all vital to their success in school and in life. Each year we give away thousands of new and gently used books to area children and provide regular family literacy programming at a variety of locations in the South Sound area.”
At almost every public, family-friendly event you’ll find gracious South Sound Reading Foundation volunteers giving away books to every visiting child. These books are collected through donations and community book drives and delivered to schools, hospitals, festivals, and activities.
On a national level, the well-known Reading Is Fundamental literacy organization stresses that “access to and choice of books is one of the simplest and most effective approaches to helping close the achievement gap. The books are free…and inspire children to make greater choices for themselves—to choose learning, and to choose success in school and life.”
Reading Is Fundamental statistics show that 65% of fourth graders read at or below the basic level. This is especially startling when compared with statistics from our prison system which show that “illiteracy and crime are closely related. The Department of Justice states, ‘The link between academic failure and delinquency, violence, and crime is welded to reading failure.’ Over 70% of inmates in America’s prisons cannot read above a fourth grade level.”
Locally, the inmates at Cedar Creek Corrections Center are doing their part to encourage childhood literacy. As part of a recent quarterly fundraiser, they voted to donate their $886.05 contribution to the South Sound Reading Foundation.
“The offenders tend to choose community agencies that work with children or families,” explains Kim Govreau, Community Partnership Program Coordinator at Cedar Creek Corrections Center. “The offenders saw and heard about the recent vandalism incident and they wanted to help South Sound Reading Foundation as they knew they supported our facility.”
Pam Moore, the Cedar Creek’s Policy Coordinator and Legal Liaison, explains that “the Reading Foundation provides books for the children of offenders during family friendly events. The kids (and some parents) love their books as it may be the only one they own. The South Sound Reading Foundation has been very supportive of the kids getting age appropriate books and the offenders appreciate the work they do.”
“Occasionally, I will receive a special request from an incarcerated father, such as books in Spanish, and South Sound Reading Foundation will make sure it happens,” adds Govreau while explaining the impact of the organization.
Monies are raised by voting on a favorite food item to import (like pizza, fried chicken, or sub sandwiches) and then increasing the final price as a charity donation. Moore continues, “Many offenders earn $0.42 per hour (max $55.00 per month for many jobs). From a month’s pay, funds are deducted for a required savings account and possibly fines, court costs, child support, personal toiletries, etc., so it takes a lot of working hours to pay for a $12.00 pizza.” That the offenders are willing to donate to local charities as part of this purchase speaks volumes about their hope for future generations.
Cedar Creek Superintendent Douglas Cole agrees. “The Mission of the South Sound Reading Foundation is one that resonates with the offenders at CCCC and they believe the work you are doing contributes to safer communities and brings about positive change in the families and the community you serve.”
Jennifer Williamson-Forster, the Foundation’s Executive Director, says donations like this have a tremendous impact. “We are small and we depend on donations to provide our important literacy and early learning programs. Donations help us get books to kids who may not have a book of their own, talk with families about the importance of reading, how to engage with their children and books, how to help reluctant readers, early brain development and much, much more. We also provide story times and free books at childcare centers, book talks, book clubs, and after school programs, as well as one-on-one and small group tutoring, and a STEM book club which is quite popular.”
It didn’t take long before much of this generous donation was already spent. Says Williamson-Forster, “We’ve already spent most of the funds on new picture books. We are gearing up for our Books for the Break program – getting books into the weekend backpacks that go home with homeless, hungry, and at risk children and youth. Before each break we want to ensure theses kids also get a great book. Many of them have limited access to age appropriate reading materials when not in school and have nothing to do during the break.”
Individuals or groups interested in donating to or volunteering with the South Sound Reading Foundation are always welcome. On Thursday, April 14, they will hold their Readers are Leaders Benefit Breakfast with keynote speaker Tod Marshall, the state’s current Poet Laureate, and Master of Ceremonies Dusti Demarest, Executive Director of the Olympian newspaper.
Call the South Sound Reading Foundation with any questions at 360-412-4499, email them at read2me@nthurston.k12.wa.us, or drop by their 305 College Street NE offices in Lacey. You can follow current events on Facebook or through their news blog.
And don’t forget to read to—or with—a child in your life for 20 minutes every day.
