August House Sponsors Operation StoryBook with Sheltering Arms
Operation StoryBook Begins Love of Literature in the Cradle
Atlanta — September 10, 2006
Studies show nearly two-thirds of low-income families own no books for their children, yet book ownership is one of the strongest predictors of future reading success. To prevent the resulting achievement gap, on September 15th Sheltering Arms Early Education & Family Centers will launch Operation StoryBook, a family literacy initiative that begins children's love of reading in the cradle.
Corporate and community volunteers, VIPs, and professional storytellers will share stories with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers during a day-long Read-A-Thon in 16 Sheltering Arms centers across metro Atlanta.
"Ninety percent of children's brain development occurs in the early years before kindergarten," says Elaine Draeger, President of Sheltering Arms. "Even before they can read, children who grow up in homes rich with printed and spoken word are building skills to become enthusiastic readers."
Operation StoryBook will help families give children this strong start. Anchored by the Book of the Month Club, Operation StoryBook will provide 2300 children— most from low-income working families— with 12 new books for their home libraries over the next year. Research-driven curriculum, literary enrichment activities, and parent storytelling workshops will then bring these books alive for Sheltering Arms' children and their families.
"For many of us, the values we hold most dear are those we learned through stories...stories shared by family, stories heard in worship, stories read in books," says August House's Laura Deisley (404.442.4421). "With our mobile society, children often don't hear the stories of older generations that in the past taught lessons about character, culture, and community."
"Operation StoryBook builds children into readers, but it does much more. It turns parents into storytellers."
August House's Story Cove title The Clever Monkey by storyteller Rob Cleveland is Operation StoryBook's September Book of the Month. On September 15th, 2300 children will hear professional storytellers perform The Clever Monkey and will receive a copy for their home library.
In addition to August House, other sponsors of Operation StoryBook's kickoff include Cousins Properties, BellSouth, Alston & Bird, The Coca-Cola Company, Hamby & Aloisio, Hollis & Company, Integrated Management Systems, Morris, Manning & Martin, ProForce, Risk Management, and the Sheltering Arms Board of Directors.
The September 15th kickoff culminates with CockTales and Legends, an evening celebration for volunteers and sponsors co-sponsored by The Margaret Mitchell House. The event honors Ms. Mitchell, who chaired the Sheltering Arms library committee in the 1920s, children's advocate Dr. Otis Smith, and Sheltering Arms Legend Award recipients Anne Carson, Stiles Conrad, Janet Johnson and Virginia Williams.
The community is invited to participate in Operation StoryBook by volunteering to read, donating books, or sponsoring a child. Information is available on the Sheltering Arms website at www.shelteringarmsforkids.com.
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About Sheltering Arms
Sheltering Arms Early Education & Family Centers is one of Atlanta's oldest, largest, and most respected nonprofits, providing nationally-acclaimed, effective early education and child care for 2,300 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers each day. Founded by volunteers in 1888, Sheltering Arms is different because of its quality, because it serves all families regardless of income, and because its comprehensive services build strong families and communities. Sheltering Arms has 16 centers in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, and Rockdale counties. To make a tax-deductible donation or for more information on Sheltering Arms, please call Paige McKay Kubik at (404)-523-2849 or visit Sheltering Arms' website at www.shelteringarmsforkids.com.
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About August House
Recently recognized as one of "America's 101 Top Independent Publishers," August House is a highly-acclaimed and award-winning multimedia publisher of children's stories and folktale anthologies. August House's is based in Atlanta, GA.
August House Media Contact
Rob Cleveland
404-442-4422
