1,000 Children to Receive Literacy Kits through United2Read
Families receive literacy kits through the United2Read program.
In our community, we face a sobering reality: only 37% of children are reading at or above grade level by the end of third grade. This statistic represents more than just numbers; it reflects the futures of countless children and families across Westchester and Putnam counties.
At United Way of Westchester and Putnam, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to thrive. Through our United2Read program, we are working to change this statistic by placing the tools for success directly into the hands of families. By providing books and reading kits to caregivers and guardians, we are enabling stimulating learning activities that will lay the foundation for lifelong achievement.
We are grateful to partners like PepsiCo, whose volunteers recently assembled 1,000 literacy kits, with 500 designed for children ages 0 to 2 and 500 for ages 3 to 5. Each kit includes age-specific books, educational activities and resources for families, providing a solid toolkit for caregivers to engage their children in meaningful learning experiences at home.
PepsiCo Volunteers.
“I’m ecstatic to be able to give these books to the little ones of our Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Many of them don’t have books at home, so this is a wonderful present for them!” –Andrea Parada, Family Services of Westchester.
United Way’s educational program strategy focuses on supporting childhood literacy growth as a pathway out of poverty. We support initiatives that help each member of our community thrive, recognizing that when we invest in our youngest learners, we invest in everyone’s future.Â