Delivery is Part of National Initiative to Promote Reading During the COVID-19 Pandemic
DALLAS (Sept. 25, 2020) — A total of 21,600 new children’s books arrived in Dallas on Tuesday, a donation to Imagine Science Dallas from The Molina Foundation as learning gifts for children in underserved communities. Imagine Science Dallas is a unique partnership that brings together the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas, Girls Inc. of Metropolitan Dallas, Dallas County 4-H Youth Development and the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas to expose youth who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields to informal STEM education that can increase their interest and engagement in STEM.
The 21,600 books were donated by The Molina Foundation’s Families Learning Together program for 2020, an initiative to distribute 1.5 million books worth $13 million to nonprofits and community groups across the nation. The pro-literacy effort is designed to provide free educational resources to help children, parents, and caregivers create word-filled homes through pleasure reading and learning time together during the back-to-school season as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Elite Fulfillment Solutions is graciously providing the warehouse for storage of the books at no cost until the books are offloaded, sorted and distributed to children across Dallas who participate in the Imagine Science Dallas program and educational programs across Greater Dallas.
Suzana Delgado-Gray, Imagine Science Project Lead, said that giving children books to keep is an action step that reinforces a positive message about reading. “We consistently tell our families how important reading is,” Delgado-Gray said. “We, as a community organization, have been on a major push to encourage children and families to read together and share stories, especially now during these very difficult times.”
The colorful storybooks feature fun themes and characters and cover a wide range of grades and age levels.
Imagine Science brings together four leading youth organizations to help bridge the STEM gap by igniting the imaginations of these historically underrepresented youth. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas, Girls Inc. of Metropolitan Dallas, Dallas County 4-H Youth Development, and the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas believe that prolonged, informal exposure to STEM increases a child’s interest and builds a foundation for proficiency through high school and beyond. The Molina Foundation is a Southern California-based nonprofit dedicated to the mission of reducing disparities in access to education and health.
About Imagine Science. In 2015, Imagine Science Dallas was one of three national pilots in which The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dallas, Girls Inc. of Metropolitan Dallas, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension 4-H and YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas joined in partnership to engage youth in STEM and STEM careers. Initially a summer program in two Pleasant Grove middle schools, Imagine Science has expanded to year-round programming, serving over 1,500 4th-8th grade students. Youth participate in themed activities from Entomology to Engineering with each session bringing a new adventure. To learn more, visit imaginesci.org.
About The Molina Foundation. The Molina Foundation is a national nonprofit organization focused on reducing disparities in access to education and health. Since its inception in 2004, The Molina Foundation has worked with more than 2,500 organizations and schools towards this end, donating over 5.5 million books and hosting workshops and programs for educators and families. The Molina Foundation works hand-in-hand with community-based organizations in vulnerable communities, partnering with preschool programs, clinics, schools, family service organizations, churches and other civic organizations serving low-income and at-risk families. To learn more, please visit molinafoundation.org.
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