Pi Beta Phi Phoenix Alumnae Club & KNTR: Passionate for Literacy

By Denise Gary
Photographs by Denise Gary

img2577blog

Kids Need to Read (KNTR) has enjoyed a terrific year of partnership and support from Pi Beta Phi Phoenix Alumnae Club (PBPPAC)! Throughout the past year, KNTR has been the fortunate recipient of several of the club’s literacy efforts, resulting in books, reading buddies and creative presentations for children! Their sponsorship has assisted KNTR in creating a larger impact on the cause of childhood literacy for which both organizations work.

img2568blog

PBPPAC’s 2014 fundraising efforts led to two matching Local Impact Grants from Pi Beta Phi Foundation, resulting in $738 to provide reading resources to Phoenix, Arizona children. It has been such a pleasure to be able to partner with the Phoenix Alumnae Club to provide books, Highlights magazines, and exciting literacy programming to the deserving second grade students of Brunson-Lee Elementary School in Phoenix. PBPPAC provided literacy support to the second grade classes at the public elementary school throughout the 2014–2015 school year.

img2575blog

In February 2015, KNTR and PBPPAC introduced author/illustrator Steven Riley and the KNTR Build-a-Book program to the second grade students at Brunson-Lee.

img2552blog

Mr. Riley delivers an extraordinarily entertaining program focused on creating story, which always leaves children laughing and craving to write their own tales.

img2555blog

Funds raised by PBPPAC, along with the matching grants by Pi Beta Phi Foundation, were used to provide beautiful hardcover books to each of the participating students.

img2567blog

In addition, KNTR provided Highlights magazines to the elementary school’s entire student body through fifth grade, made possible by a generous gift by Highlights for Children, Inc.

img2563blog

In addition to the books and Highlights magazines, all participating children were sent home with a “Family Reading Tips” flyer to inspire their families to read together.

READ Together LogoLater in February, KNTR was fortunate to be a recipient organization in the Pi Beta Phi 20,000 Books Giveaway! What a thrill to be given 431 beautiful new books to use in our organization’s programs!

2015-02-28 14.56.11ce

KNTR board member Gary Mlodzik and KNTR volunteer Tina Mlodzik came to help pick up the books at the beautiful Burton Barr Central Library in Phoenix. What a wonderful gift, thanks to our Pi Beta Phi partners!

2015-02-28 14.45.22ce

This past week, PBPPAC brought 282 new “reading buddies” for use in KNTR’s local and national READ Together program! We were so happy to receive such treasures! Kids Need to Read needs hundreds of reading buddies (a stuffed critter—handmade or store-bought—to which a child reads aloud, especially when they have no one else to read with at home) for the program, so if you or your group can help, please see more information.

2015-06-04 18.39.22ce

READ Together provides books and other resources necessary to inspire adult caregivers to read to their children daily—an activity vital to building high reading proficiency levels.

rtcimg004

Kids Need to Read is sincerely grateful to Heather Miller, Kim OBrien, the entire Pi Beta Phi Phoenix Alumnae Club, and Pi Beta Phi Foundation for their continuous, passionate support of KNTR’s literacy initiatives. Much, much gratitude for helping us pack up books for our office move last August, too! We look forward to working together in the upcoming year on behalf of children who do not have adequate access to books and literacy support. Thank you all!

Share the Post:

Related Posts

Tis the Season

Once Upon a Time… It was a dark and stormy night… This is the tale that was told to me…: Throughout history, winter has been a season rich in the tradition of storytelling, serving as a captivating blend of entertainment and education for individuals of all ages. This enduring legacy is exemplified in Beowulf, one of the oldest recorded stories, where the narrative opens with a compelling command, “Listen! we have heard of the might of the kings,”. No matter the opening line, the timeless power and importance of story and literacy is in its ability to connect generations and communities through the ages. 

Read More

With a Thankful Heart

The generous contributions from our supporters have made a significant impact on our mission, and we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt thanks.

Read More