Pocono Services for Families & Children is pleased to announce support from Verizon’s ’Check Into Literacy’ Program in the amount of $2,500. This support will allow over 200 impoverished and disabled preschool age children, to own their own books, many for the first time. Research shows that reading to a child three times per week, greatly improves emergent literacy skills and promotes success in kindergarten. This generous donation will allow needy and “at risk” children to own books and give parents the tools to read to their child to improve their literacy skills.
The ’Check Into Literacy’ initiative allows Verizon’s landline telephone customers to indicate on their monthly phone bills that they wish to make a $1 tax-deductible donation to promote literacy. Verizon then distributes these donations to local literacy organizations, such as Pocono Services for Families & Children.
“A dollar a month may not seem like much, but it can go a long way toward improving literacy skills in local communities and giving people the opportunity to succeed,” said Daniel J. Reavy, Director of External Affairs, Verizon Pennsylvania. “We are delighted to support Pocono Services for Families & Children’s Book Ownership Program, to benefit needy children and help to improve their literacy skills through the generosity of our customers.”
PMEDC was pleased to put Verizon in touch with Pocono Services for Families and Children to access the grant funds for this program.