New Literacy Outreach distributes 100 books to children
May 25, 2017More than 50 children received 100 new books – and ice cream cones – as part of a new Literacy Outreach designed to keep students interested in reading over the summer.
Funded by a $1,300 grant from Penn Manor Education Foundation, the program also exposed students to the Lancaster County Bookmobile and provided their parents with useful information on community services.
Penn Manor staff members partnered with the county library and the Community Action Partnership to deliver the materials, plus ice cream from the Cruisin’ Creamery truck, to residents of the Pheasant Ridge and Manor Heights neighborhoods May 18 and 24.
“The idea was to just have a fun event to reach families with young children and provide reading materials over the summer,” said Tamara Baker, Conestoga Elementary School principal, who received the grant through PMEF’s Strong & Healthy Families initiative.
Each child got two new books. In addition, children at Manor Heights could sign up for a library card and take out books from the Bookmobile, which will be returning to their neighborhood in the summer. Under the program, additional books will be donated to the Manor Heights community library.
Baker said she’s hopeful the effort helps spark an interest in reading among parents and children, especially those not yet in school.
The Strong & Healthy Families initiative was started last year to assist Penn Manor families in need.