PARAMUS, N.J., Sept. 9 -- Starting school can be trying for any child, but for those who can't read well, it can be overwhelming. Reading is a key to children's success during the school year and in life. To help equip those children at risk, The Toys "R" Us Children's Fund, Inc. and Reading Is Fundamental(R), the nation's oldest and largest children's and family literacy organization, are partnering on a Book Fundraiser to provide free books and literary resources to America's deserving preschool children.
During the month of September, Toys "R" Us stores nationwide will offer its customers an opportunity to donate $1, $3, or $5 to The Toys "R" Us Children's Fund, Inc./RIF(R) Book Fundraiser. Donations up to $500,000 will be matched by The Toys "R" Us Children's Fund, Inc. and awarded in a grant to Reading Is Fundamental. RIF will use the grant to provide free books and literacy resources to at-risk preschool students in RIF programs nationwide.
The Toys "R" Us Children's Fund, Inc. supports community programs that nurture and enhance the lives of children. One of the cornerstones of The Toys "R" Us Children's Fund, Inc. is the "Reading Ready: Preparing Children to be Lifelong Readers" signature program. This is the Fund's early childhood education program that concentrates on strengthening the pre-literacy skills of at-risk children, newborn to age 5. This program focuses on children in the early stages of their lives to ensure they are reading-ready by the time they enter kindergarten.
"Through our early childhood literacy program, The Toys "R" Us Children's Fund, Inc. looks forward to partnering with parents and RIF to encourage children to become lifelong readers," said Michael Goldstein, Chairman of The Toys "R" Us Children's Fund, Inc. "We understand the value of supporting learning programs at an early age that can enhance and enrich the lives of children, and we're particularly proud to be part of this effort."
"To do well in school and in life, a child needs to develop essential literacy skills at an early age," said Carol H. Rasco, President and CEO of Reading Is Fundamental. "We are proud to partner with The Toys "R" Us Children's Fund's 'Reading Ready' initiative to promote the importance of developing pre-literacy skills in young children, and to put desperately needed books and literacy resources in the hands of preschool children nationwide."
The following tips from RIF are important to encourage children to read:
- Plan to read for about 20 minutes. Young children can have short attention spans.
- Start with the cover. Read the title and the author's name.
- Change your voice to fit the mood or action.
- Move your finger under the words as you read them.
- Talk about the book and show the pictures as you read.
- Ask questions of the child about what happened in the story.
These tips can help parents and children enjoy reading and get more out of it every day.
About The Toys "R" Us Children's Fund, Inc.
For over a decade, The Toys "R" Us Children's Fund, Inc. has raised and donated over $45 million to charities that support and enrich the lives of children and their families. The Fund focuses on two specific areas: the Kids' Playroom Program in hospitals and the "Reading Ready: Preparing Children to be Lifelong Readers" program, a pre-literacy initiative for at-risk children from newborn to age five. By focusing on these two signature programs, the Fund will enhance the well being of at-risk children by creating and supporting safe, stimulating, and nurturing environments.
About Reading Is Fundamental(R)
READING IS FUNDAMENTAL: founded in 1966, RIF develops and delivers
children's and family literacy programs that help prepare young children for reading and motivate school-age children to read regularly. RIF's highest priority is to serve the nation's neediest children, from birth to age 11. Through a national, grassroots network of 400,000 community volunteers, RIF programs last year provided 15 million new, free books and other essential literacy resources to nearly 5 million children. For more information, visit http://www.rif.org.
