United Way of San Diego County Celebrates the Love of Reading

San Diego CA

16 February, 2022

2:15 PM

Description

On March 2, children, parents, teachers, and community members everywhere will celebrate their love for reading in honor of National Read Across America Day. To commemorate the celebration, United Way of San Diego County (UWSD) in partnership with Warwick's La Jolla, Libélula Books & Co. in Barrio Logan, and sponsored by Navy Federal Credit Union, will host a book drive from February 14 through March 31, 2022. Local companies and individuals are encouraged to donate new children's books to promote a love for reading in students throughout San Diego County. UWSD hopes to collect 1,000 books through this drive to increase children's access to books at home and foster a generation of diverse readers. After the drive is complete, all the books will be donated to San Diego children in need to help enhance their home libraries. Support a child's dream by investing in their futureAll kids dream about what they want to be when they grow up. From astronauts to rock stars and veterinarians to lawyers, every child starts with big aspirations for their future. Unfortunately, for many, those dreams slip away and not because they grow out of them, but because of disparities around education and family stability that hold them back. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 45 percent of San Diego County's third graders were not reading at grade level; and that was before school closures and virtual learning exacerbated inequitable access to high-quality learning opportunities. Moreover, students who are not reading at grade level by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school. By the end of the 2020-2021 school year, students were on average four months behind in reading. While studies show that enhancing a child's access to books at home has a significant impact on their long-term learning, many students in the San Diego County community do not have enough age-appropriate books in their home libraries. Through the UWSD book drive, the nonprofit and its community partners hope to bridge this gap. "Every year, the goal for our Read Across America book drive is to not only spark a love for reading in our San Diego students in need, but also to build up their home libraries to create a world of imagination, adventure and wonder," says Nancy L. Sasaki, president and CEO, United Way of San Diego County. "We hope our efforts help end the disparities in our community and give every child, no matter their circumstance, the opportunity to dream, grow and be whoever they want to be." Ways to supportKicking off on Valentine's Day, community members anywhere can give back to the UWSD book drive in the following ways: Virtually: Donors can purchase books online through Warwick's La Jolla and choose from a list of diverse recommended books. Visit uwsd.org/read to purchase books online.In-person: Books can also be purchased in-person at Warwick's La Jolla and Libélula Books & Co. in Barrio Logan. Both partners will be hosting a "Buy One, Give One" campaign.Beneficiaries will include UWSD partners, as well as Free Little Libraries.Make a financial contribution: Want to be a part of systems change? Monetary donations will also be accepted to help address inequities in our community and close the gaps in education, literacy, and family stability so that all San Diegans can thrive. Visit uwsd.org/read to make a financial contribution.Employee engagement/virtual volunteerism: Employees of corporate sponsors of UWSD's Read Across America book drive can decorate bookmarks and add personal notes to young readers that will be included in books donated by their company. The nonprofit is still looking for sponsors for this campaign. Learn more about how to become a sponsor, as well as how to support UWSD's efforts and its book drive by visiting uwsd.org/read for more information. ABOUT UNITED WAY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY For more than 100 years, United Way of San Diego County has aligned with partners to address inequities in the region and help underserved communities. United Way's specialty lies in identifying sustainable, long-term goals and achieving them through leveraging data and partners' expertise to better understand root causes and putting impactful solutions into action. United Way's work, in partnership with others, uses shared goals, innovation and proven practices to transform the lives of children, young adults and families in the San Diego region. United Way focuses on educational milestones, such as kindergarten readiness, third-grade literacy, high school preparation, and college and career pathways. Learn more and get involved by visiting uwsd.org, Facebook, Twitter, or by calling (858) 492-2000.