Leading to Reading

The Many Projects of
Leading to Reading

Leading to Reading Chair:  Elizabeth Harrel
initiative.aauw.poughkeepsie@gmail.com

 Leading to Reading
Learning the joys of reading…….spending special time with an adult……enjoying beautiful picture books……..talking about  favorite books. These are some of the special times created by the Leading to Reading project.

Members provide books, reading kits, summer reading programs and so much more as part of this program.

The program involves:
**Books for Babies, for every child born at Vassar Brothers Medical Center and Northern Dutchess Hospital
**Laundromat Libraries, for places where children spend time waiting
**Little Libraries on school grounds and outdoor places where children gather
**Book Giveaways and summer reading programs
**Community readers in pre-school programs
**Participation in Community Day Events

Since the project started in 2004, over 53,000 new books and countless gently-used books have been distributed by our many enthusiastic volunteers!

Grants and financial contributions enable the success of this program. Our community sponsors and collaborators are listed at the bottom on this page. More Information and Donation Forms

Leading to Reading..an overview

Our Home in Hyde Park

For the last two years, The Roosevelt Fire District offered work and storage space at the Staatsburg Firehouse.  The building is now used by many community groups and we needed to find another home. The United Methodist Church of Hyde Park graciously offered us a classroom with built-in storage cabinets, floor space, and tables and chairs.  We relocated there in 2023 and are enjoying our comfortable work space and interactions with the many people we’ve met there.

Special Activities and Events

Each year Leading to Reading sponsors a myriad of special activities. They support our mission, build visibility, and help us reach out into our community. In addition to AAUW activities, we take part in the Dutchess Outreach Farmers Market and town community days.

Creating Family Reading Kits

Book kits are developed for pre-school and school-age children. These include helpful hints for parents about reading with young children, simple activities linked to each book, and craft materials to complete a related project.  They are given to children who often have limited access to books in their homes or do not have regular opportunities to visit their local libraries. Kits for older students are in string bags, which can be used for school or other activities.

Summer Reading Programs

Each student in the Astor Pre-School program, is presented with a book kit at the end of the school year. The kit serves as part of the summer reading program and gives both parents and children activities to do together. All of their program sites are involved, including Poughkeepsie, Wappingers Falls, Beacon, Millerton, Wingdale, and Red Hook.

Youth involved in the Rural and Migrant Ministry camp in Ulster County are given string bags containing 2 books. The students use the bags to carry all their camp materials and reading time is a regular part of the summer program. Books swaps are common! The bags are often used as backpacks once school begins.

Pre-schoolers involved in the Day One Program also received new books. The giveaways were part of their learning activities.

 

Holiday Gift Wrapping

Hudson River Lodging provides shelter for families while a parent is attending classes, job-seeking, or in counseling. Beautifully wrapped books were provided to the Center for all children living there. In addition, gifts from the center were wrapped by AAUW members. A grant from Holiday Helping Hand enabled us to purchase many beautiful books with multi-ethnic characters.

Books for Babies

Based on current research about the benefits of reading to infants and toddlers, Leading to Reading has been providing a new book for every baby born in Vassar Brothers Medical Center and Northern Dutchess Hospital.  Parents are given a board book and tips on reading with a very young child. Support has been received from member donations, Stewart’s Shops and Holiday Match and the Wappingers Congress of Retired Teachers.  Approximately 80 packets are donated each month.

Laundromat Libraries

Jointly sponsored by AAUW and the Friends of the Poughkeepsie Public Library District, this outreach places colorful crates of books in areas where children spend time waiting. They are able to read the books while there and choose one to take home with them. Currently books are in a number of laundromats, food banks, emergency care centers, and Dutchess Family Court. Books for both children and adults are available. Members regularly check the crates and refill them both with books from the Friends and project grants.

Little Libraries

Little Libraries, which look like big birdhouses, have been installed on school grounds at some of the Wappingers Central School District elementary and middle schools,  Astor Pre-School Programs, Christ Episcopal Church, Freedom Plains Presbyterian Church and Stanfordville Recreation Park. They were constructed and installed by two Boy Scouts as their Eagle Scout projects and several community volunteers.  AAUW members maintain the libraries and keep them stocked with books provided by Friends of the Poughkeepsie Public Library District and Leading to Reading.

CTAUN

CTAUN (Committee on Teaching About the United Nations) provides educators worldwide opportunities to learn about the work of the UN and to incorporate this global awareness into curricula and school activities at all levels. Leading to Reading received a CTAUN Excellence in Education Award in 2018. More information on CTAUN HERE

Community Sponsors

AAUW members have supported the program through volunteer efforts, creative planning, and donations. Funds raised by donation drives and special events  have been used to purchase books and sponsor our special community programs. The project has also been greatly enhanced through generous community support. Sponsors include:

  • AAUW-NYS: a program grant from the state helps provide additional books and materials
  • 4Imprint.com: string bags for camp reading program
  • Adams Fairacre Farms: bags which are used to package and transport all of our book donations
  • AAUW member donations: Members have designated funds for Leading to Reading, and further funding has been provided from general donations.
  • First Book: both a grant for free books and the opportunity to purchase books at greatly reduced prices
  • Friends of Poughkeepsie Public Library: gently used books for children and adults
  • Holiday Helping Hand: funds to purchase books for a holiday party at Hudson River Lodging
  • IBM Matching grants: funds are provided for the volunteer hours of current and former IBM employees
  • Individual donors: donations made by community residents in memory or in honor of an AAUW member
  • Stewart’s  Shops/Holiday Match Grant: funds for our community project
  • United Methodist Church of Hyde Park: donated work and storage space in the Education Building
  • Wappingers Congress of Retired Teachers: funding for our outreach program

Community Collaborators

Leading to Reading has worked with numerous local agencies serving area children. Recent projects have been in conjunction with:

  • Abilities First
  • AgriBusiness Child Development Center
  • Angels of Light
  • Astor Early Childhood Center – Beacon, Millerton, Poughkeepsie, Red Hook, Wappingers Falls, and  Wingdale sites. Members also serve on their literacy councils
  • Community Family Development Center
  • Day One Early Learning Center
  • Friends of Poughkeepsie Public Library District
  • Grace Smith House
  • Harriet Tubman Academic Skills Program
  • Holy Trinity Food Bank
  • Holy Light Church
  • Hudson River Lodging
  • Love, Inc.
  • Poughkeepsie City School District
  • Poughkeepsie Public Library District
  • Rural and Migrant Ministry Camp
  • United Methodist Church of Hyde Park