Make a Difference with Birmingham Reads 2017!

Let’s look at the numbers:

  • Only 35% of Alabama’s third graders are reading at grade level
  • 85% of Birmingham City third graders are reading below grade level
  • More than 17% of Alabama’s families live below poverty level
  • Children living in poverty and reading below grade level are 13 times less likely to graduate from high school.

  **To help empower children, reduce illiteracy, and improve our community… PBLM is proud to once again support Better Basics and Birmingham Reads this tax season.  Here’s how you can help: **

  1. Drop off new or gently used children’s books in the PBLM lobby. These books will go to children in low income communities throughout Birmingham.  Books are a luxury that most low income families can’t afford- Birmingham Reads helps ensure that all children in Birmingham City elementary schools have quality books in their homes. The deadline for book donations is Tuesday, April 18th.***Best books to donate: chapter books, early reader picture books, intermediate series books, biographies, science-related books, how-to-books, cook books, and sports-related books.  Some of the children’s favorite series include:  Dork Diaries, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Goose Bumps, Cam Jansen, Nate the Great, Captain Underpants, and Geronimo Stilton.
  2. Make a financial contribution via the VIRTUAL Book Drive Option. Simply visit scholastic.com/betterbasics Donations made will allow Better Basics Program Directors to purchase exactly the right books needed to implement literacy programs at heavily discounted rates .
  3. Volunteer to read on Birmingham Reads Day- which will be held Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 1pm. This city wide event has volunteers reading to 624 classrooms in the Birmingham city school system…. Pre-k through 5th grade…. All on the dame day at the same time.  Each volunteer reads a designated book to their assigned class, then after reading the book, each child in the class gets a copy of the book to take home.  If you would like to be a volunteer reader- contact Kaltheen Drake, Director of Volunteers with Better Basics – [email protected] or 205-944-2928.

  For more information about Birmingham Reads 2017 visit http://betterbasics.org/programs/birmingham-reads/