Ready to Read is a United Way project to encourage and increase reading to and with babies and young children.

Using funds from our project sponsors, United Way purchases age-appropriate books in bulk for children age birth to five. Books are then provided free to our partners at local agencies that are already serving families with young children, with an emphasis on agencies serving low-income families.

A family visiting an immunization clinic, for example, would receive a free book, and even more importantly, information on the benefits of reading to their baby or young child daily.

ADOPT A CLASSROOM PROJECT

Instructions for Companies to build kits. 

58 Kindergarten classrooms from Athens, DC Everest, Edgar, Marathon, Newman, and Wausau school districts have been adopted by 30 companies and two families including: 

3M, Abby Bank Schofield, Aspirus, Associated Bank, CHR Hansen, Connexus Association, Emerging Leaders, EO Johnson, Greenheck, Impact 100 Council, Intercity State Bank, The Olafson Family, J & D Tube Benders, Kocourek Kia, L&S Electric, Maple Ridge Farms, Marathon Cheese, Menzer Hardwoords, MPPL Financial, Nationwide, News 9 WAOW, North Central Health Care, The Felch Family, Peoples State Bank, Retire United, S.C. Swiderski, UMR, US Bank, Wipfli, Women United

The month of April, volunteers will put together literacy and seeding growing kits for their classroom. Later in the month, they will bring the kits into the classroom, read the book to the students and guide them through a garden in a glove project.  Volunteers deliver the kits and read the story to the class and then help with a gardening project focused on healthy eating. Each child receives a copy of the book, reading tips for their parents and a container garden of their very own.

Planting seeds for reading and healthy eating…watch us grow!

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