Clearinghouse for Volunteers

10/23/08 - We can all remember our first book, that book you could not put down. You loved every minute of reading. You read before bed, when you woke up, and sometimes your mother had to tell you to stop reading at the dinner table. The joy of reading and getting lost in those stories made you happy. You became the princess that had to be saved, the knight, the fairy godmother and even at times you laugh when you imagined yourself to be one of the seven dwarves. These memories are part of many young adults' and adult's lives. When the mind takes a trip down memory lane, it remembers that book you were in love with. Even though you are no longer a child, you can still give other children that same feeling you had with First Book.

What is First Book? The mission of First Book is to provide new books to children in need, addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy-access to books. First Book is a program that is nationally based and is located at about 70 colleges and universities around the country. This program's main goal is to give books to agencies, schools and after school programs that serve children of low-income families.

The program aims to give these books because it wants each and every child to experience the love of reading. This is done with the help of the public. There are numerous First Book chapters that raising money for children from low-income families every year. These children are not lucky enough to have home libraries or parents to buy them their own books.

There is a First Book chapter right here at our university. The chapter is run by a Campus Advisory Board, overseen by the Feinstein Center for Service Learning. The URI chapter has been in existence since December 2004. URI students can also be involved in bringing the love of reading to a child's life. Jumpstart, another program at the university, is a recipient of First Book.

Sarah Dudley McDermott, a site manager for Jumpstart, stated: "First book is beneficial to Jumpstart because we are able to provide the children with books that they would not be able to afford." She also explains that "Jumpstart is a literacy-based program for low-income children, and we help them with reading before they enter kindergarten." In closing she says that First Book is vital to Jumpstart and its goal to help children.

First Book is looking for anybody who is interested in helping to bring books to children who cannot afford them. We are looking for members who will help inform the student body and the public about the program. One of the underlying ideologies of First Book is to focus the power of the private sector on public change. Together we can all make a difference.

We are looking for volunteers to help at the events and plan fundraisers for this academic year. If you are interested, please come to the Clearinghouse for Volunteers in room 125 of Roosevelt Hall, and there will be a sign-up sheet. Also, talk with Michelle Wright, the student adviser for the URI chapter in Room 125 in Roosevelt on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Together we can all put an end to children literacy problems.

With the current economic state, we can only imagine that books are not being bought for children of low-income families. These families are concerned with feeding and clothing their children. First Book is not allowing these children to be left behind. On Nov. 12 there will be a First Book drive in the Memorial Union. Students can purchase a book for a child for only $2. Imagine, only $2 to make a child fall in love with reading. Quoting the United Negro College Fund: "The mind is a terrible thing to waste.