CNCS Kicks Off Summer Initiative Let's Read. Let's Move.
Agency joins Junior League of Washington to make donation of 15,000 books to DC students
WASHINGTON, DC – The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) today kicked off its national Let’s Read. Let’s Move. summer initiative today, joining the Junior League of Washington (JLW) to give away the first of more than 15,000 books to DC Public School (DCPS) students.
“Let’s Read. Let’s Move. is an initiative designed to get Americans engaged with some of the most important issues facing our nation’s youth, including access to the tools that will help them learn, succeed, and lead healthy lifestyles,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of CNCS. “This wonderful gift from the Junior League of Washington demonstrates the impact that a committed group of volunteers, working hand-in-hand with community officials, can have within their own cities and neighborhoods.”
Spencer, joined by JLW President Wendy Cumberland, National Football League player Visanthe Shiancoe, Joe Briggs of the NFL Players Association, Junior League volunteers and AmeriCorps members from DC SCORES and City Year, participated in a fun-filled afternoon with the second grade classes at Garfield Elementary. The students learned about healthy play and exercise with volunteers, read together in groups and choose four books to take home and read during the summer.
The Junior League of Washington celebrated 100 years of serving the Washington, DC community this year. As a part of centennial celebrations, the League launched Resolution Read, a year-long campaign to raise and donate 100,000 books to local children.
“JLW volunteers have been actively involved in this community for 100 years, working to raise funds for community grants and scholarships as well as spending countless hours serving in schools, hospitals and alongside other literacy-focused non-profits,” said Wendy Cumberland, President of the Junior League of Washington. “It feels tremendous to give away the 100,000th book hand-in-hand with partners like CNCS, DCPS, First Book and DC SCORES.”
Garfield Elementary school is located in Ward 8 in Southeast DC. More than 3,000 children will receive reading material as part of the larger 15,000-book donation. This includes all second-graders attending DCPS schools in Ward 8 as well as children participating in the DCPS summer school program in 2013. The balance of the more than 100,000 books provided through the JLW’s Resolution Read have gone to children throughout the city.
“We are so grateful to have great partners like CNCS and the Junior League who share in our literacy vision and commitment to student success,” said Kaya Henderson, Chancellor, DC Public Schools. “These books will make a big difference for our students and I’m so excited to continue this partnership.”
A part of United We Serve, Let’s Read. Let’s Move. is in its fourth summer. For more information or resources on how volunteers of all ages and backgrounds can address issues of summer learning loss, childhood obesity and summer hunger, visit http://www.serve.gov/lrlm.asp