Sharing is Caring

On December 12 and 14, Readers to Leaders (R2L) and First Five joined with other community organizations and participated in a collaborative effort known as Sharing is Caring.  At Sharing is Caring, families who have earned credits by participating in parenting and enrichment classes have the opportunity to shop for gifts for their children at a store created by various charity organizations.  While waiting to shop, parents had the chance to explore booths represented by local organizations such as the Northwest Georgia Regional Library, WIC, and SNAP. R2L and First Five provided families with books, a crayon, a bracelet, a sticker, a bookmark with tips for reading to children at home, and various other informational materials to promote literacy. Pictured below are R2L representatives with booth materials, and a mother and daughter at the event.

 

Left to Right: Katy Green, Archway Education Professional; Melissa Morrison, Readers to Leaders VISTA intern; Pam Partain, Readers to Leaders Chair

 

 

A mother holds parent material, while her daughter holds books.

Book Nooks: Successful Community Collaboration

The Archway Partnership has recently launched its newest initiative: Book Nooks!  As the result of dedicated volunteers working through Readers to Leaders and First Five, a birth-to-Pre-K work group, bookshelves containing child-appropriate books, or “book nooks”, will make their way to local businesses and waiting areas in the community.  Dalton State College’s Athletics program has agreed to sponsor the first four Book Nooks and placed the first one at White’s Pediatrics on December 3. Children were excited to see the Book Nook, and their reaction immediately upon its installation can be viewed below.

 

None of these efforts and community successes would be possible without the collaboration of different individuals and organizations coming together. Pictured below is a snapshot of the first Book Nook and a few of the individuals and organizations that helped make it possible.

Left to right: Erik Simpson, Dalton State Athletics; Elizabeth Chadwick, Dalton State President’s Office and former library board chair; and two representatives from White’s Pediatrics office. 

If your organization is interested in sponsoring or hosting a Book Nook, please contact Readers to Leaders/United Way VISTA Melissa Morrison at readers2leadersdw@gmail.com.