On Friday, March 24th, Literacy Inc. (LINC) partnered Cayuga Centers, a non-profit human services agency, and Manhattan's Borough President Mark Levine to host a book reading for minors in Cayuga's Transitional Foster Care Program.
The event was attended by a group of minors in the UC-TFC program ages 5 to 11 years old and by Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, who greeted the youth and read the Spanish version of the children’s book, Dreamers (Soñadores) by Yuyi Morales.
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine remarked, "As we celebrate National Reading Month, it's essential to recognize the magic of teaching children the joys of reading from a young age. Reading opens up a world of imagination and knowledge, empowering our youth to dream big and explore new horizons. I had the
honor of spending a delightful afternoon reading to children from Cayuga Centers and witnessing their enthusiasm for stories, and learning reminded me of the incredible impact that books can have on young minds. A special shoutout to
Literacy Inc., who provided books and activities for the children – your commitment to promoting literacy is truly inspiring. Let's continue to foster a love for reading in our children, for it is the foundation of a brighter future for all."
LINC provided copies of Morales’ book and donated 100 books in English, Spanish, Creole, and Tagalog to benefit the Cayuga Centers’ Foster a Love of Reading Book Drive. “On behalf of our agency, we sincerely thank the Manhattan Borough President’s office for hosting this amazing event, providing refreshments, and facilitating this partnership with LINC to benefit the minors in our care. We are grateful and welcome opportunities to collaborate in the future,” said Troy Brathwaite, COO of Cayuga Centers Federal Programs.
The visit offered an opportunity for the minors in Cayuga Centers’ care to play an interactive game of bilingual Bingo, facilitated by staff from LINC. “The most touching thing to see was when the children's faces lit up with excitement because they were able to read the words on the cards and win prizes with their reading skills. Early literacy programming is fun, and it is the most effective tool we have to achieve educational equity,” said Albania Jimenez, Senior Director of Family & Community Mobilization at LINC. The minors also received LINC gift bags with books and other fun prizes.
Cayuga Centers’ UC-TFC program provides transitional foster care to unaccompanied children from around the world who are seeking asylum and are awaiting unification with a sponsor in the United States. The event was in celebration of National Reading Month, which occurs every March and is part of the Cayuga Centers’ Foster a Love of Reading Book Drive. To learn more about Cayuga Centers’ programs, visit www.cayugacenters.org.
LINC and Cayuga Centers' hard work was covered by GlobeNewswire, which you can read here.
To register for LINC's latest literacy programs, please visit www.lincncy.org/onlineprograms.
