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March, 2010
WACHOVIA/ WELLS FARGO HELPS READ NOW! CELEBRATE READ ACROSS
AMERICA DAY
Five volunteers from Wachovia/Wells Fargo joined in the celebration of Read Across America Day by reading to children at Michael's Energy Factory in Paterson and Vincent Tibbs Day Care Center in Englewood. Wachovia volunteers read to 220 children. The event was a rare win-win situation. The children were delighted the volunteers enjoyed the experience and the center staffs welcomed new faces. "Support from outside organizations enhances our ability to reach as many children as possible', commented Read Now! director Lolly Burgin. The volunteers were very enthusiastic, some staying extra time to read to more classes. As she was leaving, Judy Taylor said "I really enjoyed reading to the kids, please let me know when you are going to do this again".
Read Now! and Ridgewood AM Rotary combine to help kids
Several members of the Ridgewood AM Rotary under the leadership of Mary Ann Copp read and donated books to the children at the Hackensack YMCA day care center on September 24th. The event was held to celebrate International Rotary Literacy Day. 60 children heard stories and received a book to take home. "Everyone had a great time. There were smiles and laughter all around" commented Read Now director Lolly Burgin who, along with volunteer Ginny Bryan coordinated the event. "Our volunteers read here regularly. Rotary created a special occasion and the opportunity for the children to have a book of their own," added Burgin. Rotary readers included Mary Ann Copp, Bea O'Rourke, Bill Haggerty, Bill Cummers and Ray Fowler.
December 2008
Read Now! Celebrates
Read Now!’s first volunteer luncheon and program was a great success. Over 30 volunteers gathered at Children’s Aid and Family Services to have lunch, share experiences and listen to an enlightening and enjoyable program.
Read Now! volunteer Dawn Jaicks, who operates Dawn’s Catering and Services, provided the lunch. Yvonne Roux from William Paterson University spoke on the art of reading and storytelling to young children. Ms. Roux demonstrated specific techniques for holding the children’s interest and engaging them in the stories.
Book Donations
Read Now! has continued to receive donations, new and used, large and small. Recently Do Good Marketing in Glen Rock donated 100 copies of The Little Engine That Could, aiding our efforts to give each of our day care children a new book to keep.
June 2008
Volunteers
Read Now! has a fabulous group of volunteers. Expansion in Englewood and Hackensack has been made possible by a group of new volunteers from that area who have joined the original group. 35 volunteers have read to the children in 2008. In addition several people distribute books and provide needed administrative support.
BOOKS! BOOKS! BOOKS!
The need for books never ends.
Read Now! received a generous donation of gift quality Eric Carle books from the Wells Mountain Foundation. These books were a hit at the April Bookfest.
Read Now! has been the recipient of several book drives by schools, scout groups and confirmation classes.
New Developments
Expansion of existing programsTo reach more children, Read Now! has added readers at the Vincent Tibbs and Leonard Johnson Day Care Centers in Englewood. Volunteers have started reading to the children at the Westside Teen Mother/Child program, also in Englewood.
Volunteers are now reading as well as distributing books at Teaneck WIC
New sitesChild Development Center of Hackensack- Volunteers plan to start in July
Hackensack WIC – Volunteers are reading and distributing books on Mondays.
St Joseph’s Medical Center Pediatric Waiting Room –Provide books for the children to read while waiting and take home and keep.
January 2008
BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS!
Read Now received about 200 new books from the Barnes and Noble holiday books donations. The generosity of Barnes and Noble and its customers was overwhelming.
The Lisa Libraries is an organization that distributes free books to nonprofit programs such as Read Now! Read Now! just received 200 books to add to our collection.
Read Now never has too many books. The more we have the more we can distribute to the children we serve.
New Developments
Read Now! has expanded to Englewood. Volunteers are reading at the Vincent Tibbs day care center and the Bergen Family Center day care . In February plans are to start working with the teen aged mothers and their children in the program at Westside Presbyterian Church in Englewood.
Book distribution also has grown. These are our new sitesGalilee Baptist Church after school program Englewood
Concerned Grandparents of Paterson
City of Passaic WIC program
North Porch Mothers, Infants and Toddlers, Paterson
Dismas Alternative School Englewood
Our objective: To read to and distribute books to disadvantaged children wherever they are!
Coming Soon - Bookfest 2008Read Now! is looking to surpass the first bookfest in July 2007. Plans are for a spring date, more information will follow soon.
Summer 2007 - Party Party!!
Summer
brought move up time for the children at the day care centers. With the help of volunteers and corporate sponsors Read Now!
helped celebrate these milestones.
On June 27 volunteer Chris Bender threw a party for his kids at Barney’s Education Center. The Charles Schwab Charitable Foundation donated new books. The children also enjoyed ice cream and cake.
On August 8, United Water Company summer intern Kaylin Harper organized a book reading and distribution for two classes at the Hackensack YMCA day care center. Kaylin read to the children and distributed books donated by United Water Company.
June,
2007 (new developments)
CAMP Celebrated Dr Seuss’s birthday with the children by reading The Cat in the Hat and other Dr. Seuss stories. The children each received a book to take home. Our volunteers turned down the green ham and eggs lunch.
Barney’s Education Center Added a second day of reading to a different group of children. Plans are underway for an end of the year celebration.
Hackensack YMCA Day Care Center Started reading to two classes in the afternoons. Volunteers there include two students, one in high school and one in college.
WIC (Women, Infants and Children) We have started reading at the Saturday clinic in downtown Paterson, providing an opportunity for the children of the working poor to hear stories and receive books. Our volunteers there are a family group. There are several other WIC locations. Currently, we visit the Teaneck site and a third site in Paterson, as volunteers are available. An objective is also to provide volunteers at WIC in Hackensack.
Book distributionsInter-religious Fellowship for the Homeless of Bergen County provided books to provide for the reading needs of a specific group of children
St Paul’s after school program. Provided books to take home for the participants in this program.
Pre-School: CAMP YDP Little Campers pre-school is located on the north side of Paterson. The pre-school program is new this year. Volunteers have been reading weekly to small groups of children. We pick age appropriate stories related to seasons and holidays. At Halloween, the children brought pumpkins back for the readers! We often leave books for the children to read and take home if they wish.
Barnert Hospital: We have been stocking the shelves in the waiting rooms in the family and maternity clinics. Barnert is in process of starting the national “Reach Out and Read” program, and we expect to participate.
WIC (Women, Infants and Children): It is pretty boring for children waiting in clinics! We provide readers and books in the main WIC clinic in Paterson. The children using the clinic are under 5. We read to small groups and individuals The children are encouraged to choose a book to take home and keep. When school is out, older children often come along, so we bring along a range of books those days. It is pretty boring for children waiting in clinics! We provide readers and books in the main WIC clinic in Paterson. The children using the clinic are under 5. We read to small groups and individuals The children are encouraged to choose a book to take home and keep. When school is out, older children often come along, so we bring along a range of books those days.
Eva’s Village: Although Eva’s Village has a supply of books, the children of the residents rarely have any books of their own. We have a donor willing to give books to each child. To have the books appropriate, we are getting names, age and gender of the children.Hackensack Hospital: Read Now! volunteers are participating in the Reach Out and Read program. Reach Out and Read gives a book to each child at well visits. Our volunteers will read these books and also read to and give books to the other children in the waiting room. Volunteers are also needed to catalogue the books.
Barney's Education Center: Reading to two classes of 2 1/2 to 3 year old children once a week. Barney's is a large school, so the opporntunity is there to do more.
Read NOW continues to grow. In addition to the potential at Barney's, we are exploring additional WIC sites and day care centers, both in Paterson and Hackensack.
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