Connect to Community: Employees Support Children's Literacy Through Volunteering

Connect to Community: Employees Support Children's Literacy Through Volunteering

By Amy WilliamsUniversity Relations - Communications
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UA employees volunteer at Make Way for Books. (Photo courtesy of Sheila McGinnis)
UA employees volunteer at Make Way for Books. (Photo courtesy of Sheila McGinnis)
Gabrielle Miller and Alicia Duarte were among the UA employees who volunteered at Make Way for Books. (Photo courtesy of Sheila McGinnis)
Gabrielle Miller and Alicia Duarte were among the UA employees who volunteered at Make Way for Books. (Photo courtesy of Sheila McGinnis)
Amy Dreweatt shows off the book ambulance boxes where children can place their used and abused books for repair. (Photo courtesy of Sheila McGinnis)
Amy Dreweatt shows off the book ambulance boxes where children can place their used and abused books for repair. (Photo courtesy of Sheila McGinnis)
Geli Yang and Erin Chadd work on literacy kits distributed by Make Way for Books. (Photo courtesy of Sheila McGinnis)
Geli Yang and Erin Chadd work on literacy kits distributed by Make Way for Books. (Photo courtesy of Sheila McGinnis)

UA employees recently teamed up to support a local nonprofit that's working to bring books into the lives of Tucson children and families.

As part of the UA Cares' 1,000 Acts of Kindness Challenge, UA employee volunteers helped clean and organize donated books and put together literacy kits for the Make Way for Books organization.

Make Way for Books donates books to preschools and child care centers that aren't able to provide an adequate amount of books for their children. Since the organization's inception, it has expanded to offer workshops for parents and educators, equipping them with the tools to teach their children how to read.

"We had a great group of volunteers and we got a lot accomplished," said Mildred Curran, freshman academic adviser with the College of Engineering, who volunteered with her two daughters. "Volunteering for the event was a way to learn and spread information about this great community-based literacy program and access to early education."

UA Cares is the University's annual workplace giving campaign, which gives employees the opportunity to donate to any nonprofit organization or University program of their choice. This year, the campaign launched a volunteer challenge to encourage employees to also work hands-on with community organizations.

"I volunteer at many nonprofits, but what I like about Make Way for Books is I believe in their message of the importance of literacy for every child," said Sheila McGinnis, UA director of outreach and community partnerships. "Imagine our community if every child started reading early or every parent religiously read to their babies and toddlers. Literacy is extremely important to the future of Arizona."

UA volunteers were given a tour by the agency's director of community engagement, then worked on cleaning donated books and organizing them into categories. Some of the volunteers worked on "book ambulance boxes" – decorated shoeboxes where children can put their used and abused books in need of repair. Children can then take them to Make Way for Books' "book hospital" to get them fixed.

In addition to UA employee volunteers and their families, two students volunteered as well. One student was there to get to know his peers on campus since this is his first year in the United States.

"I want to meet more people and talk more," said Geli Yang, a freshman who volunteered at the event. "Since this is the first semester for me in the United States, I found it hard for me to talk with friends fluently, so I wanted to practice more, as well as help people."

The UA BookStore is also running a drive benefiting Make Way for Books until Dec. 18. Members of the campus community can donate new or gently used books at multiple locations on campus.

As part of the 1,000 Acts of Kindness Challenge, the Office of Community Relations, along with other departments on campus, is making a "kindness chain" with each paper link representing an act of kindness performed by campus community members, McGinnis said. In April, they will join their chain links together to represent the work of the University as a whole.

To get involved with UA Cares 1,000 Acts of Kindness Challenge, make sure to mark your calendar for these upcoming events.

  • Dec. 19: Volunteers will be walking in support of downtown businesses and downtown revitalization at the Tucson Parade of Lights.
  • Feb. 13: Twenty volunteers are needed to work at the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, packing food boxes and sorting food.
  • March 19: At the Pima Animal Control Center, volunteers are needed to walk dogs and donate supplies such as towels, linens and kitten formula.
  • April 2: UA volunteers are invited to participate in the National Alliance on Mental Illness Awareness Walk.

Email smcginnis@email.arizona.edu for more information on how to sign up for these events.

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