Make reading a treat for Halloween, founder says
Trending
If your group is looking for a way to give back to your community or become more cohesive, Ruby Wiles, founder and director of Free Books for Kids Town, has a program that will do both: Halloween Read and Treat.
Wiles encourages individuals and groups - churches, libraries, service clubs, businesses, police and fire departments, and more - to have their own Halloween Read and Treat event. She invites one and all to visit FreeBooksKidsTown.com/Halloween, register for the program, and receive the guidance and promotional materials to get started, as well as help with acquiring books. The modest fee helps offset the costs of operating the website and running the program.
"Most people would be surprised how many kids don't have any books of their own," says Wiles, whose non-profit promotes children's literacy by providing books that match their interests and spark their love of learning. "Research shows that children who are readers can achieve success and go for their dream. But it is difficult to become a reader without having ready access to books!"
Free Books' website, FreeBooksKidsTown.com, explains the impact of books, offers a literacy quiz, presents testimonials, and describes their programs. One way Wiles gets books to kids is through Halloween Read and Treat, where trick-or-treaters get to pick out a book to take home with them along with a treat.
Why is Halloween a special time to give away books? Because the neediest kids are out trick-or-treating on Halloween, shared Wiles.
Passionate about this issue, she added, "All across America children are not learning to read well. Reading is a skill that needs practice. The easiest way to motivate children to read is to make available books they want to read. That's what happens at Halloween Read and Treat locations! Volunteers collect and organize books to be available for trick-or-treaters."
Halloween Read and Treat's motto is "A treat for the mind as well as the sweet tooth." Wiles adds, "A book is a gift that keeps on giving: No amount of candy can compete with the amount of knowledge and inspiration a child can obtain from a single book."
"The unexpected benefit is that this project will bring you and your associates together," Wiles affirms. As one church reported, "We are rewarded by seeing the joy on the faces of the kids when they choose a book of their own, but we hadn't anticipated how it would benefit us: coming together for a common cause, inspiring the participation of more members, and increasing our visibility in our community."