ABC Reads at Gateway 105

Did you know that 66% of Cleveland residents are functionally illiterate? Functionally illiterate is when a person can’t read past a fourth-grade level. So when it comes to reading restaurant menus, schedules or even job applications it becomes a struggle for our community members. What ’s even a more startling statistic is that 50% of African-American youth in fourth grade cannot read above a fourth-grade level. Unfortunately, as we know when a child can't read past the fourth grade that is a precursor to being impoverished, increased drop-out rates and being more susceptible to committing crimes which can ultimately lead to incarceration. 

     Of course these statistics are not new but the question we must ask ourselves is with all of the resources like free public libraries, reading programs, schools, e-books and books on audio how do we get our children as well as the adults to love reading and get out of the illiterate zone. Well, we continue what we are doing and increase the methods in which we can meet our families where they are so that we can stomp out illiteracy and the apathy towards reading. This is why we are starting our fundraising campaign to bring books and literacy fun to our communities in need. 

     ABC Read would like to have our first official ABC Read-Mobile. This fun, interactive truck will provide free and low-cost books, engaging activities, read alouds, healthy snacks and just a great reading space that our children and adults can enjoy and learn from right in their own neighborhoods. This would be the first of it's kind in the city of Cleveland and we know that it will be a great tool that can be used in our neighborhoods, schools, community centers you name it to help make literacy a priority to our population of families that need it the most. Also, our ABC Read-mobile will help our elderly in the community who have a hard time getting to the local libraries so now we can bring the books directly to them. 

Promote our campaign through email, social media and word of mouth

Purchase  RV or truck, books, supplies to convert the truck into a reading space, snacks and a megaphone 

One of the main reasons why we are addressing this need in our community is because we want the children and the adults in our community to love reading and become successful readers.  We believe we have identified some of the main reasons why our children and the adults are not reading or simply do not have a desire to read. Again we understand we have local libraries and other resources that will provide books but, in the spirit of meeting people where they are this why we decided it is time for the books, storytime via megaphone, healthy snacks and literacy fun to come to the people. So instead of our children running, they hear the ice cream truck jingle our families will come together when they hear stories being read on the ABC Read-mobile.