To put it simply: Children deserve to read, and they deserve to have a place to read that is comfortable, safe and inviting.
Unfortunately, for many children, access to books and a safe and nurturing place where they can get lost in a story simply doesn’t exist in their world, which is why the Kiwanis Club of Poway set out to provide their local elementary school with a Reading Oasis for more than 700 students.
The new Reading Oasis promotes reading and helps support the children of low-income families in their community by not only providing a place to read, but by providing a quiet area for students to complete homework.
Joyce Handa, Past President and Co-Chair of the project said, “The Reading Oasis is a significant step toward helping kids that wouldn’t otherwise have access to books . . .”
In partnership with Scholastic, Inc., which provided a matching book donation, and the Kiwanis Cal-Nev-Ha Foundation, who awarded a club grant for the project, the Poway club members, along with the support and help from school staff and local Service Leadership Program (SLP) members, were able to purchase more than $12,000 worth books and other reading materials for students ranging from Kindergarten to 5th grade.
Thanks to the Poway club and their Service Leadership Program members, children at Valley Elementary School now have a comfortable, safe and inviting place to explore new books, learn exciting things, and grow their minds.
Start a local Reading Oasis Room at your local school! Let us help you: Click HERE so we can help fund your club’s newest service project.