Literacy Kits

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Engage your group in a volunteer activity that can be done safely from anywhere

Literacy Kits are used at early childhood centers and schools throughout central Iowa to help students in kindergarten through fifth grade learn and love to read.

Why You Should Choose Literacy Kits

Our Literacy Kits were designed by experts to focus on the skills young children need when learning to read while, at the same time, diving deeper into the book and its themes.

Each Literacy Kit includes:

• A children's book
• Several related activities perfect for interaction and imagination
• Instructions for the reading mentor
• A personal note of encouragement from the volunteer to the child

How Literacy Kits Work

If you would like to purchase literacy kits as an activity for your group, the first step is to contact us.

Next, we will help you decide which book title you would like to purchase and how many kits you need. The cost is $7 per kit. This covers the cost of the book and the materials needed to make a kit. We sell the kits in groupings of of 25 or more. On average, volunteers can make two kits per hour.

We have the following books available for purchase:

• A is for All the Things
• New Kid
• The Name Jar
• The Only Road
• Freedom Summer

If you would like to see more details on these titles, please visit LITERACY KITS | United Way of Central Iowa (unitedwaydm.org)

Then, we arrange the pickup of your materials (or we can mail).

You and your volunteers then complete the Literacy Kit activity on-site at your business, home, church, school, club, etc. You can choose the timeframe for the activity, as well. We have an ongoing need for the kits.

Next, you return the completed kits to United Way. Then we distribute them to nonprofits, child care centers, and after-school programs.

Sign Up for Lit Kits!

To sign up for this volunteer opportunity, please visit LITERACY KITS | United Way of Central Iowa (unitedwaydm.org). To make the volunteer experience as easy and convenient, United Way offers an online volunteer sign-up.

For additional questions, contact Anna Schaber, Volunteer Engagement Specialist at anna.schaber@unitedwaydm.org or 515-246-2504.