If you give a child a book, you plant a seed for future success, and KSBY’s annual If You Give a Child a Book fundraising campaign aims to put more books into the hands of local schoolchildren.
Each fall, in partnership with the Scripps Howard Fund, our station works with four local Title I schools to host Scholastic book fairs where students can pick out their own books for free.
Last school year, thanks to donations from the Central Coast community, kids at those four elementary schools – Lillian Larsen, Oceano, Arellanes, and Bonita – were able to take home ten books each.
“It’s like we’re getting Christmas presents again, going back to Christmas, and it’s very helpful for the kids that don’t really get to read books,” said Dalia Antonio. She was a 6th grader at Bonita Elementary School in Santa Maria when Scholastic visited the school in January.
WATCH: Local kids share how it feels to receive free books
Studies have shown that building a home library can improve a child’s academic success, and allowing kids to pick out their own books plays a big role in that success.
According to the Scholastic Kids and Family Reading Report, 89% of children say their favorite books are the ones they pick out themselves.
"I know other people have some trouble reading. I like how they give us books to read so we can increase their knowledge of reading," said Giovanni Juarez, a student at Arellanes Elementary School in Santa Maria.
“A unique part of the If You Give a Child a Book initiative is that it gives children the power of choice,” said Meredith Delaney, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Fund. “When children choose books they are excited about, they are more likely to read them and grow more confident with their literacy skills.”
Since the If You Give a Child a Book campaign first started in 2016, nearly 2 million free books have been distributed to students across the country.
Click here to donate to this year’s campaign. Just a $12 donation will help us purchase two books.
