Read Aloud America helps spread the love of reading to Maui families
Illiteracy, it’s what’s for dinner. That’s because the State of Hawaii is pulling their funding for Read Aloud America in their budget cuts. This will affect 22 public elementary and middle schools – totaling 15,951 adults and children.
Read Aloud is now forging partnerships with local businesses to keep their literacy messages heard, like participating in the Whole Foods Market Recycle Your Change program now (started Oct. 3) through Dec. 18, 2011.
“We are determined to secure funding and continue our mission to promote literacy, bond families and build communities of lifetime readers,” said Joanne Laird, Read Aloud America program director. “Partnerships with businesses like Whole Foods Market are vital to ensuring the sustainability of our programs – and, more importantly, continue to reach new audiences.”
Whole Foods Market continues to be a staunch supporter of local organizations and non-profits, with creative ways of getting them involved and fundraising in and around their store. The Recycle Your Change works like this: you can donate your change, “recycling” it to the cause.
“We are excited by the opportunity to work and provide support of such worthy organizations like Read Aloud America, which promote a love for literacy amongst our island keiki,” said Elyse Ditzel, marketing director for Whole Foods Market Kahului. “Our partnership with Read Aloud America started with team members volunteering at school reading programs and we are thrilled to strengthen this relationship with both additional monetary support as well as in-store reading sessions for local families and keiki.”
This Halloween at 3 pm Laird will be hosting pre-k to second graders in reading spooky stories. The kids will get a healthy goodie bag, and are encouraged to come in costume for the contest drawing.
For additional information on Read Aloud America, please visit www.readaloudamerica.org or call (808) 856-3100. Learn about participating schools for the 2011-12 school year or register for participation. Volunteer support is always welcome.
For additional information on Whole Foods Market’s Kahului store, please visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com/maui/ or call (808) 872-3310. To keep up-to-date on the latest store news, events and sales, follow Whole Foods Market Kahului on twitter at www.twitter.com/wfmkahului or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WFMKahului.
Tags: Kahului, mauisphere, Read Aloud America, State of Hawaii, Whole Foods
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