Hi friends!
I’m proud to be participating in Read-a-palooza, a fundraiser supporting Sit Stay Read, Inc., where I served as Inteirm Executvie Director! sicne March. This is a pivitol school year for our beloved set of emergent reader literacy programs, which began in 2003. Our tiny team of 5 and our board have been working so hard as we prepare to reenter Chicago Public Schools with our volunteer Book Buddies and Certified Reading Assitance Dogs for the first time in over 4 years AND start a new partnership for intergenerational family literacy events with Chicago Public Libraries.
The need:
In 2024 69% of Chicago Public School elementary school students were not reading at levels needed to succeed in school or beyond. Learning to read is hard, and even more so for kids experiencing poverty, housing insecurity, proximity to violence, hunger and lack of access to age-appropriate books and personalized attention.
Those of you who know me, know I am passionate about children's literacy. Every donation directly impacts SitStayRead's ability to come back strong into Chicago Public Schools after a COVID-induced hiatus of several years. The need for bilingual and English literacy enrichment and social emotional learning supported by our dogs is greater than ever for our emerging readers in kindergarten - 2nd grade.
SitStayRead's response:
SitStayRead brings evidence based literacy enrichment to K - 2nd Grade students in Chicago communities where 90% or more of households are low income or housing insecure; and 60% of third graders are reading below the national average - a determinant for academic success and many other quality of life factors.
Why do I care so much?
My dad grew up very poor in a chaotic home, but one where literacy, music, and education were highly valued. My materal grandma immigrated as a child and was the first in her family of bakers to get a college degree-and masters, a big deal in her day. Nana went on to support afterschool programs for youth and then a first grade teacher. Commitment to education, and support from within and beyond the family, changed the trajectory of thier lives, and mine.
Supported by two family lines of avid readers and storytellers, I grew up surrounded by books, played "librarian" as a five year old, and was blessed with an excellent education. I have always loved reading, performing other people's writing as an artist, and the transformative power of language. I've also experinced living in a country where I could not fully understand or speak the language and know how vulnerable that can make a person. So much of my working life as an artist, a nonprofit leader and a volunteer has centered around transferring knowledge, helping others share thier own voices in impactful ways, and bringing joy as a storyteller myself. It is easier to do hard things when we are motivated - so let's make this fun and do it together.
Here's how you can help:
- Donate: Contribute an amount that is doable and meaningful for you.
- Participate: Join my team The Pageturners and raise at least $100 (your $35 fee and $65 of gifts-that is just 7 buddies chipping in $10 each in the next 4 weeks).
- Spread the Word: Please share my fundraising page with your friends, family, and social networks. This campaign is all about LOTS of folks contributing what they can to support 2024-25 no-cost programs in CHicago Public Schools.
- Celebrate: If you are in CHicago, join us at Fred Anderson Dog park and aprk for our read-a-palooza literacy fest from 10 am to noon on Satruday, Ocotber 12, 2024.
Thank you for joining me in an effort to start this school year on a strong foundation!
KEEP READING!!
Deirdre