Encourage Siblings to Read Aloud to Younger Siblings

NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT: Cathy Leiber
www.JudithsReadingRoom.org

Encourage Siblings to Read Aloud to Younger Siblings

Choose a Summer of Reading & Make Lifetime Memories

May 30, 2024 — Judith’s Reading Room, a literacy nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching lives and societies by proactively encouraging freedom through literacy suggests a ‘sibling-to-sibling’ summer activity that will surely build lifetime memories.

In partnership with Washington County Juvenile Detention Center’s ‘Harkins House,’ a nationally recognized model program and short-term residential shelter located near Portland, Oregon, the Juvenile Service Supervisor recently shared the outcome of receiving the latest shipment of books donated by Judith’s Reading Room.

In celebration of 12 consecutive years of enhancing its Judith’s Reading Room library at ‘Harkins House,’ the organization added 67 YA and children’s books to grow the library to 708 books valued at nearly $9,000.

Martha Villegas, Juvenile Service Supervisor shared, “the youth had the opportunity to look through the books and pick out books for their younger siblings.  They were able to use this opportunity to engage in reading with their younger siblings during family time at Harkins House.”  She added, “It was nice to see how the family as a whole enjoyed spending time onsite reading together as an activity that included younger siblings.  The youth shared excitement in being able to give their sibling a book and see their responses with big smiles on their faces.”

This summer, choose a family activity by visiting your local library or book store and encourage older siblings to pick out books to read aloud to their younger siblings.  Imagine the joy that one ‘Harkins House’ youth felt when they said, “this is the first time I have ever read to my little sister.”

Judith’s Reading Room and Harkins House Celebrate 12 Years

NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT: Cathy Leiber
www.JudithsReadingRoom.org

The Judith’s Reading Room Library at Portland, Oregon’s ‘Harkins House’ Celebrates 12 Years 

April 25, 2024 — Judith’s Reading Room, a nonprofit literacy organization based in eastern Pennsylvania announced that it had deepened its commitment to providing quality literature to ‘Harkins House,’ a residential shelter for teens near Portland, Oregon.

In May 2012, Judith’s Reading Room established a library at Washington County Juvenile Detention Center’s ‘Harkins House,’ a nationally recognized model program and short-term temporary residential shelter located near Portland, Oregon.  Based on research, literacy is a significant protective factor for at-risk youth and is strongly correlated with reducing recidivism.  For those reasons, Judith’s Reading Room has sustained its efforts to provide books and a path to building social skills and literacy.

In celebration of the 12 consecutive years of enhancing the initial library of 219 books, Judith’s Reading Room announced today that it has added 67 high-quality books at a cover price of $735.  The library has grown to 708 books valued at $8,734 and with today’s donation, includes New York Times Bestsellers, National Book Award Finalists, Stonewall Honor Books, John Newbery Medal authors and Best Book of the Year.

The organization has had a hands-on approach with its Judith’s Reading Room library with members of the board of directors visiting ‘Harkins House,’ conducting Banned Books events, supporting Book Clubs and producing a film documentary called “Cracking Open the Universe” that revealed to researchers from Lafayette College in Easton, PA that book clubs enhanced participation and positively impacted participants’ attitudes about pleasure reading.

For more information about Judith’s Reading Room and its annual “Freedom Through Literacy Award,” visit www.judithsreadingroom.org.

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