LSF Joins with United Way

for Children's Book Drive

Third Year for Central Services

23 July 2009 - TLW

Lutheran Services Florida's Central Services staff has joined forces with United Way of Tampa Bay for the 2009 Children's Book Drive, the third year that LSF has participated in the annual drive.  The goal of the book drive is to put books into the hands of low-income children in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties.

"Being able to read well is fundamental to a person’s ability to be a full and productive member of society," said LSF Church and Community Director Danielle Kearney in a letter to LSF staff in early July.  "Unfortunately, too many children in our community from low income families do not have access to books."

United Way has published a number of facts regarding literacy in low-income children:

• Seven out of ten fourth graders cannot read at grade level, and children in the poorest families are six times as likely as children in more affluent families to drop out of school.  “The State of America’s Children”—Children’s Defense Fund, 2004

• A child who is not a fluent reader by 4th grade is likely to struggle with reading into adulthood. Today, 41% of fourth grade boys, and 35% of fourth grade girls read below the basic level, and in low-income urban schools this figure approaches 70%.  The National Dyslexia Association, 2000

• Poor reading and writing skills have a devastating lifelong impact -- 75% of school dropouts report reading problems, and at least half of adolescents and young adults with criminal records have reading difficulties.  Learning Disability Basics

"This is such a worthwhile project that we did not hesitate when asked to participate," said Ms. Kearney.  "Every child should be able to have books and enjoy the gift of reading."

In 2008, LSF Central Services donated 75 books, according to Kearney.  This year, the number of books received in July have already exceed that amount, and she is expecting to donate about 130 books from staff members.

The deadline for the collection of children's books is Aug. 17 at LSF.  Books should be taken to the office of Danielle Kearney on the Administrative level.

To read more about this summer's Children's Book Drive, see the United Way of Tampa website at http://www.uwtb.org/subpages/Children_Book_Drive_09.asp.

United Way is also partner for LSF's disaster response program, for the LSF Guardianship program in Sarasota and Venice, and for LSF's Sexual Abuse Treatment Program in Pensacola and in Ft. Myers.

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