LAWTON – Children’s eyes lit up and their excitement soared when they received new books to take home earlier this year.
The books were part of the Toys for Tots Literacy program sponsored by The UPS Store network and the U.S. Marines. Children receiving the books are members of the Lawton Boys & Girls Club, said Boys & Girls Club Director Amanda Nuñez.
“The books we had were quite old,” she said. “I’m pretty sure my grandmother read them when she was in school. The kids were really excited to receive books they could take home.”
The literacy program is continuing with the help of Yvonne Landmark and husband Jim, owners of The UPS Store, 341 NW 2nd in Lawton. In the past, a large number of books have been donated to Lawton Public Schools.
In 2019, about 2,600 books were donated to various nonprofits and the work still continues, Landmark said. In 2020, the literacy drive has continued with the focus on the Boys & Girls Club with 2,000 books going there.
“She (Nuñez) has used them all,” Landmark said. “The Boys & Girls Club needs them badly. There’s a desperate need locally. When we deliver the books, there’s lots of excitement and lots of appreciation, but it was hard to see everything going on through the tears. They (children) were excited to take them home and read to their siblings.”
Now, the new books are hot off the press and ready for distribution, which pleases Nuñez.
“Having books is vital for our kids so they don’t get behind,” she said. “Reading is key to everything. About half of our children are in lower income families with single parents or grandparents raising them.”
In January, the Boys & Girls Club will begin a monthly reading challenge with each child participating.
“We want to touch on areas where kids need us most,” Nuñez said. “We want to help with schoolwork or supplies so they can complete their work. Regardless of the money in a family’s bank account or the color of their skin we want to make sure they (children) are set up for academic success. We want to give them the opportunity to be successful through COVID and beyond.”
Landmark, Nuñez and all of the book donors, which include a book publisher, understand the dangers of illiteracy. According to DoSomething.org, 1 in 4 U.S. children grow up without learning how to read. In addition, students who don’t read proficiently by the third grade are four times more likely to drop out of school and two-thirds of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of the fourth grade will end up in jail or on welfare.
Landmark stressed that every dollar collected locally for the literacy program stays in Lawton.
“Every dollar buys a book, and every book stays in Lawton,” she said. “There are no hidden fees or administrative costs.”
Through their relationships with children’s book publishers, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is able to purchase books at a deep discount.
After supporting Toys for Tots since 2005 and collecting $1.3 million to help brighten the lives of thousands of children nationwide, The UPS Store network launched the Toys for Tots Literacy Program, a year-round initiative, in March 2008 to expand upon its existing partnership.
Since 2008, the literacy program has collected more than $5.3 million to purchase more than 42 million books for less fortunate children.
Donate cash or new books at participating The UPS Store locations. Donations are also accepted online at toysfortots.org/literacy.