Monfredo: Worcester - The City That Reads is in Need of Additional Books

Saturday, May 02, 2015

John Monfredo, GoLocalWorcester MINDSETTER™

The kick off for the tenth annual book drive by Worcester: the City that Reads Committee to collect books ( Pre-k to grade 8) for summer reading will be completed on May 15th and more books are still needed to reach their goal of 32,000 books. The Committee was founded by my wife, Anne-Marie, and me ten years ago to promote literacy in the community, put books into the hands of children who lack books in their homes, and to promote the importance of being a life time reader. In ten years over225, 000 books have been collected.

Last year was outstanding for we collected over 32,000 children’s books. Traditionally, the books have been distributed to low-income students, social agencies, and groups with summer school programs. In addition, books have also been given to schools and groups during the year for special projects such as a start up library at a school, AVID programs, innovation school projects, SPED, homeward bound students, two-way bilingual schools, and all HEAD START schools.”

Books last year were also given to Plumbley Village, Rainbow Child Development, the African Education Institute, Worcester Housing, the Y.W.C.A., Y.M.C.A., A.V.I.D. programs in the Worcester Public Schools, all private and public pre-school programs, Books for Babies program, as well as to church groups with summer reading programs, United Way programs and to many other social agencies. After the drive in May the books will be distributed to the schools during “Reading In Our City Week” initiated by “Worcester: the City that Reads” during the week of June 14th.

According to the research on literacy, studies clearly indicate that children in homes that have books are more likely to succeed in school, while children who don’t have adequate reading skills are much more likely to drop out of school. One study found that the ability to read well is the single best indicator of future economic success – regardless of family background.

There is very clear evidence that children from high-poverty families have very little access to books at home, at school, and in their communities. Studies also show when children have access to interesting and comprehensible reading material, they read. And finally, when children read, they improve all aspects of literacy, including vocabulary, grammar, spelling, reading and writing ability. In fact, I have concluded that reading for pleasure, self-selected reading, is the major cause of literacy development. Making sure that all children have access to books make literacy development possible for without it, literacy development is impossible.

Time is running out so we are encouraging everyone to start their spring cleaning and look to drop off a gently used or new book pre-k to grade 8 at one of our sites. The drop off sites are as follows:

More drop off sites have been added this year as well as more groups have come forward and are conducting their own book drives for the cause.

Please donate new or gently used books, Pre-kindergarten to grade 8, at the following sites from now to May 15th.

People’s United People’s Bank ( (all six city branches) including the town of Shrewsbury,

Worcester Public Library

Commerce Bank (all four city branches) including Holden

Bay State Savings Bank (all branches)

Bank of America ( at Tatnuck Square)

TD Bank ( all branches)

Stop and Shop on Lincoln Street

Stop and Shop on Grafton Street

Stop and Shop on West Boylston Street

Shaws Market on West Boylston Street

RSVP and the Senior Center on Vernon Street

Worcester Credit Union

Starbucks Coffee on one West Boylston Street and in Auburn

Panera’s on West Boylston Street

Austin Liquor at Gold Star Blvd

Jewish Community Center on Salisbury Street

Leader’s Way – Kung Fu Academy on Burncoat Street

Greendale YMCA

Main Street YMCA

Bagel Inn on Main Street in Holden, Ma.

St. Vincent’s Hospital at the entrance door on Summer Street

Summit Elder Care on Grafton Street

Worcester Public Schools School Committee Office – 20 Irving Street

Worcester City Hall at the City Manager’s Office

Anne’s Books Shop on James Street in Worcester

In addition, as of this writing, the following businesses and organizations will be having their own book drive in an attempt to assist the children of Worcester. “We hope more organizations will also join in by calling me at 508 853-3444”, stated John Monfredo

Houghton Mifflin Hartcourt Publishing Company

Salvation Army

UMass Medical

UMass Memorial

Reliant Medical Group on Plantation Street in Worcester

Worcester Public School High Schools… Burncoat High, Doherty High, North High, South High, Claremont Academy, University Park Campus and Worcester Technical High.

Wachusett High School

Bancroft School

St. Peter-Marion

Holy Name High School

St. John’s High School

Notre Dame Academy

Worcester Academy

Venerini Academy

Boy Scouts

Girl Scouts

Hanover Insurance

Harvard Pilgrim

Little leagues of Worcester

UNUM insurance

Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital

Wilson Language Training Center

You, Inc.

The following colleges and universities: WPI, Clark University, Holy Cross College, Becker College, Worcester State University, Anna Maria College, Assumption College, and Mass. College of Pharmacy, and Salter College, and Quinsigamond Community College.

AFL/CIO Labor

Northboro Junior Women’s Club

Congregation B’nai Shalom

A LISTING OF THESE SITES AND OTHER ADDITIONAL SITES CAN BE ACCESSED BY GOING TO THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES: www.worcpublib.org OR www.worcesterpublicschools.org

For more information, or if other schools or businesses are interested in helping out please call John or Anne-Marie Monfredo at 508 853-3444. Remember, everyone can help in this most worthwhile community service project and bring the joy of reading to every child. Keep in mind NO skill is more crucial to the future of a child or to a community, than literacy. Please be part of this project! As the African proverb states, “It takes a village to raise a child.” What better way to raise children than to give them the opportunity to read?”