Community: Our Commitment To Early Literacy
2011 has been an incredible year, and one of the best parts about it has been the connections we’ve made with so many 
incredible non-profit organizations in our community. non-profit organizations in our community. A key area of focus is early literacy & school readiness for children in Oregon. Here’s a quick snapshot of what we’ve been up to — and some ideas on how to help, too!
Did you know that the ratio of books to children in low-income zipcodes is 1 for every 300? And that 2/3 of children who live in poverty in the U.S. don’t have a single book in their home? Not one.
In my role as Oregon’s 2011 Delegate for the Mom Congress on Education & Learning in April, I have been working on a series of local and national early literacy efforts, which you can read more about on my other blog, 1OregonMom.org. This fall, I launched “Books Make It Better“ in partnership with Parenting Magazine and Reach Out and Read. And the movement is growing: read more here and see some recent media coverage here.
If you’re interested in learning more…here are some ideas. Feel free to contact me anytime if you are interested in getting involved!
- Follow Books Make It Better on Facebook and on Twitter for updates and announcements or contact us here to discuss how you can get involved. and read our recent update on Parenting.com, “How Books Are Making It Better”. You can also follow my other blog, 1OregonMom.org for updates on this program and broader education reform issues and organizations here in Oregon and across the country.
- Donate a classic kids book to our Virtual Book Drive for Reach out and Read. This incredible program promotes early literacy and school readiness in
pediatric exam rooms nationwide by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud. For only $5 you can get a book into the hands of a child 0-5, along with tools and resources for their families. $50 sponsors a child for the entire 5 year program! We’re currently trying to fill the branches of a Tree-shaped bookcase before Christmas. Help us with a book donation today!
- Get educated: Read more Early Literacy Facts, and learn about more organizations we’re supporting in “Giving Back: 7 Portland Education Nonprofits You May Not Know About Who Need Our Help This Holiday Season