Nickelodeon Big Help Book Drive

Help Them Read!

Champions for Kids SIMPLE Service Project #NickCFK

During September, Nickelodeon is sponsoring the Champions for Kids SIMPLE Service Project #NickCFK and inspiring us all to promote literacy in our communities by holding a Nickelodeon Big Help Book Drive to “Help Them Read!”. For the latest in all things Nickelodeon, follow Nickelodeon on Facebook or through @nickelodeontv on Twitter.

Love for Reading

My husband began singing and reading books to my tummy when I was in my first trimester with my son. We kept up this tradition and have read to our boy every day of his life. I’m sure you know from reading all of my children’s book reviews that my boy loves his books. He absolutely loves to read and be read to and I could not be prouder!!

As a child, I read all the time. I would get in trouble for reading too late and actually had a bedtime, plus a lights out time. That never kept me from reading until 2-3 in the morning, either by flashlight under the covers or just in the dark. Even now when I can’t make myself actually settle into a book, I’m up until all hours of the night reading blogs and stories.

My son loves getting clothes and books as gifts and the second he opens a book, all opening stops and we have to read it RIGHT NOW!! We are always watching for the library to have used book sales so we can pick up new books to read. I have been participating in the Champions for Kids SIMPLE Service Projects for a few months now and he is really learning to have a caring heart. Since he has so many books that he has received as gifts and “just because”, I want to teach him about boy and girls who don’t have books and encourage him to donate some of his books, along with some new books, to other children.

Did you know?

• Students who do more reading at home are better readers and have higher math scores. Students with more types of reading materials in the home also demonstrate greater reading proficiency.
• 67% of fourth graders in the U.S. are reading below a Proficient level, according to the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress. 
• 61% of low-income families have no books for children in their homes, and more than 80% of the preschool and after-school programs serving at-risk children have no books at all.
• Approximately 8.7 million fourth through twelfth grade students struggle with required reading and writing tasks in school. For many adolescent students, ongoing difficulties with reading and writing figure prominently in the decision to drop out of school.  

Promoting Literacy Close to Home

When I was six months pregnant, Hubby and I decided to move back to my hometown in Palestine, Texas. As soon as we were settled in, I headed to the YMCA to get my boy on the wait list for child care because I knew this would be the best place for him. After my boy was born, I was blessed with two months of maternity leave and then it was time to go back to work. For the past 4.5 years, we have been truly blessed and in awe of the services that the YMCA has provided for him. I honestly do not believe that I could have taught him as much as they have taught him if he could have been home with me.

Early Childhood Center

Our Early Childhood Center is available for children 6 weeks to 5 years old, provided each child has completed the proper application and paperwork. The Palestine YMCA child care program continues to grow and improve and is the right choice for your family. Our entire program is licensed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Activities focus on character development, health, wellness and fitness.

 

This week my boy entered the Pre-K class at the YMCA and this is his last “class” before he starts Kindergarten next year. He has been through five levels of classrooms and twice as many teachers and he is loved beyond belief by the teachers, volunteers, counselors, and other members of the YMCA that he sees everyday. Sometimes the YMCA feels like our second home and if he can’t be with me, then I don’t want him anywhere else.

Nickelodeon Big Help Book Drive #NickCFK

The decision to participate in this month’s SIMPLE Service Project was an easy one, but when I thought about where I would donate books, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go the “easy” route and choose to donate to the most obvious place. I wanted to research what education facilities were in the area and who needed books the most. I considered several places and spoke with people in the community for ideas. Nothing was really tugging at my heartstrings and at the same time everything was tugging at my heartstrings. I truly wish I could buy at least one book for every child in Palestine!!

Yesterday when I picked my son up from the YMCA, he was sitting in the library area, which is usually where he starts and ends his days, but this time he was putting together a puzzle. He was tired so he didn’t get up right away, but he was animated in his expression and reached over to a particular book that he was saving so he could read it to me. Even though Hubby was in the car waiting, I sat with him while he read the book and three other little girls were reading their books. I looked at the books in his class and started to think about the other classes that he has been in during the past few years. The books were old, likely donated as used books, and many of them were torn. There are quite a few books, and some of them are new, but I can remember my boy telling me that a page was missing from a book or someone tore that book. I have this warm and fuzzy feeling when it comes to our YMCA and I want those children to have nice, shiny, new books!

I was headed to Walmart after dropping off Hubby and The Boy to pick up a few items to get our Nickelodeon Big Help Book Drive started and now I had even more inspiration. I picked out a giant bright green tub and a few books to get the donation rolling and took it home to show my boy what we are doing this month. Walmart had a huge selection of books, for children, teens, and more and you can see what I found (and the giant green tub!!) in my #NickCFK Google Album.

My Goal

My goal for this Big Help Book Drive is to fill this Big Green Tub full of NEW books  and a second Big Green Tub full of gently used books to donate to the Palestine YMCA. I want every child who attends Child Care for the Palestine YMCA to go home with one NEW book!!

and a Challenge!!

(a) find an organization in your area and create your own Nickelodeon Big Help Book Drive!! Tell me all about it, and I’ll write about it here on the blog! Report it on the Champions for Kids SIMPLE Service Project page, too! Tell Champions for Kids on their Facebook Page, and tweet them @Champions4Kids on Twitter.

(b) help fill my Big Green Tub!! Send me a NEW book or a gently used book and I’ll take a picture of your donation to send back to you (so you know I donated it) or just send it directly to the Palestine YMCA!! Order it online through Amazon.com or another website and have it shipped to me or directly to the Palestine YMCA. If you need shipping information or have questions about how to get your book donation into the Big Green Tub, email me at janet(at)goingcrazywannago(dot)com.

Please help me fill this Big Green Tub!!

How can you promote literacy in your community?!!

Disclosure: I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Champions for Kids #NickCFK #CBias. All stories and opinions are my own.