Help Wanted: Erin's List 1st Annual Book Drive for the holidays :-)

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.

--Sir Winston Churchill

Halloween is FINALLY over!!  Now it's time to start celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas, and you know what that means... 

Tis the season to go shopping!!

But during the holidays, let us not forget that there are many of us in our area who are less fortunate than we.  Children who are growing up without basic necessities such as food, shelter, warm clothes, and books.....BOOKS, you might say? Is that a necessity?  Well here are some statistics...

According to the AAP (American Association of Pediatrics), reading is a significant aid in brain development and encourages a solidifying, emotional bond between parent and child.

Based on the research by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), research indicates, “Reading is the single most important skill necessary for a happy, productive and successful life. A child that is an excellent reader is a confident child, has a high level of self esteem and is able to easily make the transition from learning to read to reading to learn.”

  

U.S. Department of Education analysis found that children who were read to at least three times a week by a family member were almost twice as likely to score in the top 25 percent in reading than children who were read to less than three times a week. 

So this year, Erin's List is teaming up with several local organization to give children in need in our area access to high-quality books.  If you have some books you would like to donate, please comment on this post or on FB. We will collect the books until December 1st, at which time we will distribute them to the following organizations....

Hope House

Hope House Mission (HHM) is a faith-based ministry, serving homeless men, women and children in Butler, Warren, and surrounding counties in Southwest Ohio.

Ohio Valley Voices

Ohio Valley Voices is an early intervention program that teaches children with ... 
loss to listen and talk through the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants

Children's Services Family Connection Center

 Butler County Children's Services Family Connections Center is a place for families involved with Children's Services to have supervised visitation. Children, parents and families may also have individual and/or family counseling to address issues impacting the family.

Various Elementary Schools within the Hamilton City School District -- dependent on need

If you are interested in volunteering for this service-based project, please contact Erin Herman, site moderator, at minime0910@hotmail.com

We are also looking for sponsors to help with prize packages for our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place donators!!