Books for Brewster, Carmel Kids from United Way

BREWSTER, NY — The United Way of Westchester and Putnam just completed a four-month book drive. It delivered more than 1,000 books bags filled with reading materials to low-income children and families. Some of those came to kids in programs in Brewster and Carmel.

Part of the UWWP’s United2Read program, the book drive began on Martin Luther King Day when more than 100 volunteers including Girl Scouts from Troop 1033 gathered to build reading kits for low-income children. The reading kits included three books and activities and a bilingual learning tool that was designed by UWWP staff to inspire parents and children to interact in educational play.

“A child’s ability to read is a strong indicator for later success in school and in life,’’ said Alana Sweeny, President and CEO of United Way Westchester and Putnam. “By promoting early reading, the United2Read program fights poverty through literacy.’’

Only 38 percent of children in Westchester and Putnam are reading on grade level by the end of third grade.

Books were delivered to pre-schools, daycare and community centers and other non-profit agencies in Brewster, Carmel, Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, White Plains, Valhalla, and Ossining.

In addition to Sweeny, George Troyano, Publisher of the Journal News and Lohud.com; Fed Ex Regional Manager Rod Shnier; and Ossining Schools Superintendent Raymond Sanchez helped deliver the books and met with parents and children.

Sweeny thanked IBM and The Journal News for their support in promoting the campaign, Fed Ex for helping to collect and transport the books and Girl Scouts Troop 1033 for helping to assemble the reading kits.

Local centers where books were delivered:

• Infant-Toddler Learning Center,489 South Broadway, Yonkers
• Children's Center for Learning, 95 Lincoln Ave. New Rochelle
• Careers for People w/ Disabilities, 401 Columbus Ave. Valhalla
• First Steps Program, St. Ann's Church, 25 Eastern Av. Ossining
• West. Institute for Human Development, Valhalla
• Putnam CAP, 121 Main St. Brewster
• Coachman Family Center, 123 East Post Road, White Plains
• Putnam Family & Community Services, 808 Route 6, Carmel
• Ossining CAP, 50 N. Malcom St. Ossining
• Mt. Vernon CAG, 250 South 6th Av.Mt. Vernon
• Mt. Vernon Day Care, 151 South 2nd Av. Mt. Vernon
• WIC Program, 9 Glober Johnson, New Rochelle
• 5 Steps to 5, White Plains Youth Bureau

Photo caption: Alana Sweeny, President and CEO of United Way Westchester and Putnam helps distribute book bags at the Friday Program, an afterschool program run by the Ossining School District out of St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Ossining./ contributed