United Way of Summit & Medina invited volunteers from the local community to read to children at schools in Summit and Medina counties. On November 2, volunteers read to students at Cloverleaf Elementary School in Medina County. Then, on November 3, 62 volunteers read to 671 students in Robinson CLC, Helen Arnold CLC and McEbright CLC.
United Way’s Read to Me Day promotes youth literacy by helping students discover a love of reading. Research shows that children who are read to regularly read at a higher level than those who are not. And because reading is the foundation for future learning, an early boost in literacy results in greater educational achievement later in a child’s life.
In Akron, United Way hosted Read to Me Day through its Family Resource Centers at Robinson CLC, Helen Arnold CLC and McEbright CLC. These Family Resource Centers help advance United Way’s Bold Goals by offering safe, welcoming places within schools that connect students and caregivers to supportive services.
“We’re working to put students and families at the center of an ecosystem of support,” said Jim Mullen, president and CEO of United Way of Summit & Medina. “That includes volunteer events like Read to Me Day, which help students develop a lifetime love of reading. It also includes basic needs support, housing assistance, financial empowerment resources for families and more. By ensuring families’ needs are met, we’re removing obstacles to student success, in and out of the classroom.”