A child from a low-income family enters first grade with an average of only 25 hours of one-to-one picture book reading. Compare this with 1,000 to 1,700 hours for a child from a typical middle-class home. That’s why from now until August 30th, Parr Lumber is collecting used and new books at our Portland metro area stores (see list below). The books will be given to the Children’s Book Bank. The donated books will then be distributed to children whom normally cannot afford books.
Children need daily at-home experiences with books to increase their exposure to the written word, literature, and a variety of informational topics, concepts, and vocabulary. The development of early literacy skills through early experiences with books and stories is directly linked to a child’s success in learning to read. The harsh reality is that two thirds of low-income families own no books for their children. With nearly one in five urban preschoolers living below the federal poverty level, the need for books is huge.
You can help these children out by dropping off books at the locations below.
