On September 12, Yours Humanly hosted a Family Literacy Night, which included dinner, arts activities, and book distributions, at Wren Avenue Elementary School (Concord, CA, Contra Costa County), attended by more than 50 students and more than 65 of their parents and family members. This was one of twenty family literacy nights we plan to host in 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 at ten Concord elementary schools served by Mt. Diablo Unified School District.
We purchased close to 400 books, one each for all students at Wren Avenue, to take home and keep as their own, to read alone and with parents, and to share with siblings and friends. Wren’s teachers chose A Boy Called Bat (Elana K. Arnold) for K–2, and Merci Suárez Changes Gears (Meg Medina), for 3–5. After a warm welcome and opening remarks by Principal Celeste Kitts, we distributed the English-language and bilingual books to students—who gleefully showed off their books to family members and the event photographer—and watched as they engaged in the evening’s arts and crafts activities.
This high impact Family Literacy Night project, which will benefit more than 4,000 students during the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 school years, was made possible through our Coloring Futures initiative and by a generous grant of $213,000 from the City of Concord. View photos.
If you believe, as we do, that early literacy is the key to academic achievement, strong language skills, and lifelong learning, please donate today to help us continue to reach to students in need with the gift of books.