 Reading Enriches All Children (REACH) is the only agency of its kind providing read aloud and literacy programming every week for children living in twelve local homeless and domestic violence shelters in South Hampton Roads. The need for our services is as strong today as when we were founded more than twelve years ago by local educator, Kristin Hildum. We have expanded to now include our Growing Readers initiative that provides free lightly used books to area educators and programs serving kids who would not otherwise have books of their own. We have established book-give-away libraries at the shelters we serve along with over 100 schools, the Children’s Museum of Virginia and many faith based, social service and community programs that work with at risk children and youth.
What began as a grassroots effort in Kristin’s garage, is now a growing nonprofit serving approximately 560 children in shelters each year with over 230 volunteer readers, along with over 19,000 books given away through REACH’s Growing Readers in 2009. Our office is located in the Ghent section of Norfolk, but our program meets at shelters in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach. Anyone working with at risk kids can receive books through Growing Readers by calling our office at 757-627-4722.
We Need Your Help this Holiday to keep our Efforts Moving Forward!
As we enter our twelfth winter holiday season, we are looking to our community to assist us in a time of extreme financial crisis. REACH has weathered the economic storm of the past three years by tightening our purse strings, which were already quite taught, and now looking for help from you and our many friends and supporters.
Here are ways to assist and bring REACH into the New Year providing literacy programs to even more children:
Make a Tax-deductible Donation
We currently serve approximately 564 children in twelve shelters. We accomplish this with a staff of just two people, over 230 volunteers and a "wholelotta" penny-pinching.
Our program includes:
• Group Read-Aloud and Literacy Building Activity Sessions at twelve shelters every week, fours weeks each month.
• Family literacy workshops held each quarter at the shelters
• Growing Readers Book Distribution Initiative
• Community Education Workshops and Outreach Activities
REACH will run all twelve programs and outreach activities in the community and at our shelters for only $94,000 this year. Your generosity does make a HUGE difference!
Ways to Help:
NAP Tax Credits (Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credits)
Individuals or married couples who donate a minimum of $500 to REACH in the form of cash or marketable securities (maximum of $50,000) during the tax year will receive a 40 percent tax credit on their Virginia State Taxes. Businesses that donate a minimum of $1,000 to REACH in cash, stock, merchandise or real estate (maximum of $437,500) during the tax year will also receive a 40 percent tax credit on their Virginia State Taxes. Donation much be made by 12/31/2010.
Currently, tax deductible donations in any amount can be made by mailing a check payable to REACH and sent to:
REACH
809 Brandon Ave., Ste. 208
Norfolk, VA 23517
Or via PayPal on our website at www.reachreads.org
Contact reach@reachreads.org or call 757-627-4722 for more information.
Sponsor a Reading Angel Tree this Holiday Season
The ultimate goal of the REACH Reading Angel program is to get new books into the hands of at risk children during the holiday season and throughout the year. A Reading Angel ornament is made for each child that includes a child’s age and gender and details about the requested book or a book that is age appropriate. The ornaments are placed on holiday trees provided by sponsoring organizations. To find out how to display a Reading Angel Tree at your place of business or faith community, adopt a Reading Angel or to locate a tree in your community, contact REACH at 757-627-4722.
Send Books via AMAZON
We use books in all our sessions and provide two free books to each child that attends a Read-Aloud. These are carefully selected to be high interest books for the kids. In addition, we list small office and crafting supplies that would be tremendously helpful.
You can find our wish list on AMAZON.COM WISHLISTS.
Donate your favorite children’s book for a child in need. Purchase from your favorite bookseller and please tell them about REACH. (We are trying to REACH as many booksellers as possible as well.)
Workplace, Community or Faith based Holiday Book Drive of New Books for our kids! It’s very easy and we have “Reading Angels” that you can hang on your office tree. You collect and we will retrieve them from your group. Call 757-627-4722, or email volunteer@reachreads.org.
Workplace Contributions
Contribute through the Combined Federal Campaign by designating CFC number 28672, Combined Virginia Campaign 5034 or United Way CCC: 5023
Encourage your employer to participate, or request REACH as your Campaign Speaker.
Wrap Books during the Winter Holidays
Spend 2 hours wrapping gifts at local area book stores. You can select a shift at a book store participating this year. Consider creating teams of family, co-workers and friends. This is a perfect way for school age students to contribute.
The Gift-wrapping for REACH Campaign was a huge success last year thanks to the extraordinary efforts of our bookstore partners at Barnes & Noble and our incredible Volunteers!
Invite REACH to speak to your club, troop, sorority, fraternity, civic league or faith group.
Please remember these book stores when you are making your book purchases and let them know how much their support means to REACH!
• Bargain Books, Wards Corner, Norfolk
• Barnes & Noble Macarthur
• Barnes & Noble Town Center
• Barnes & Noble Greenbrier
• Prince Books, Downtown Norfolk
Contact REACH at 757-627-4722, or Jordan Hall, Volunteer and Program Coordinator at volunteer@reachreads.org if you would like to assist our program as a gift wrapper, reader, or book runner.
Happy Holiday to ALL!
REACH
809 Brandon Ave., Ste. 208
Norfolk, VA 23517
757-627-4722
www.reachreads.org
REACH Needs:
· Volunteer gift wrappers from Now – December 24th.
· Book runners to assist with the delivery and pick-up of donated books for our programs.
· Readers for Read-Aloud Teams at various shelters throughout Southside Hampton Roads.
· New books or cash donations to purchase books for kids 0-18 (especially books that interest boys.)
· Gift cards to book stores, Michael’s and discount stores to purchase books and program supplies.
|
