HOME SERVING CHILDREN PROGRAMS LITERACY PARTNERS VOLUNTEERING WHY BOOKS? BOARD NOMINATIONS/ QUESTIONNAIRE READ SEED givethembooksnow @yahoo.com

North Carolina Children... Are They Destined to Failure or Success? North Carolina is 41st in Literacy Skills Consider the following statistics... According to federal census data for North Carolina, the state ranks 6th in the number of children under age 5 years old (27.5%, in Durham 30%). Nearly 25% of the state's children live in low-income households, with 19% at the poverty level. Children living in single-parent households are on the rise, up from 25% in 1990 to 33% in 2000. In Durham, almost 31% of households are led by a single-parent. North Carolina children living in households where no parent has full-time, year round employment is staggering - 30% in 2000, up from 25% in 1990. Who Are Our Children? Our children love books, are eager to learn and wish to succeed in life. Our children are often incorrectly labeled because of their residential address. We at Read Seed, Inc. find this adage true -- Children will be children -- Our children are just like your children. One thing that is different -- children living in public housing can experience loss of innocence earlier than most. They appreciate sincere caring and recognize help from others as stepping stones toward achievement. About Our Parents Great parents come from all zipcode areas. Limited resources demand priority decisions which put food, shelter, clothing and medicine before other family needs like books. We know that access to books should never be confused with a parent's level of love, support for academic success and traditional family values. It is lack of access that is the problem, not where parents live. Ask any Read Seed, Inc. volunteer distributing books in the community, and parents asking about books for older children. We explain that Read Seed, Inc. targets newborn to 7 year old children. Without exception, parents thank us for caring enough to give books to their child. Parents Comments McDOUGALD TERRACE: “Seems more interested in reading” - Vivian “Just starting to read, Good learning material”- Sheriffe “My daughter was very excited.” - Shanetha “Wanted to get more books and wants mother to read all the time” - Jana “He’d ask where his books were so that I could read them to him” - Mildred “She can read better now, and becomes excited when she sees books” - Tonya They were happy and love them.” - Sharissa “They take the books with them to school” - Roseland “He looks forward to getting them” - Shermeka “Devonte sleeps with his book” - Telita “They were happy and pointed to the pictures, began reading them” - Tinae “Love books and have a whole case of them. Really liked the last set of books with noises.” - Latoya CORNWALLIS ROAD: “My three year old took the books with him whenever we went out” - Thelma “They loved them, they ask me to read to them” - Gwendolyn “He would want to read the book over and over” - Niki “They would check the door searching for more books” - Tonya DAMAR COURT: "My daughter was very excited that she could finally read” - Quintina “She always likes to read books know” - Darlena “My daughter tries to read everything” - Rekiya “Made her read more, asks me to buy books” - Regina “They loved them” - Catherine Parents as First Teachers. Read Seed knows that children live what they learn at the knee of parents. We support parents by providing awareness through educational materials that motivate early literacy experiences every day.  Pictures  •  Directions  •  Supporting Read Seed HOME · SERVING CHILDREN · PROGRAMS · PARTNERS · VOLUNTEERING

Serving the children of North Carolina in the literacy challenge Read Seed · givethembooksnow@yahoo.com