READ IT AND LEAVE IT INC

Description

Read It & Leave It is a fun, interactive, personal growth and development approach centered in Harlem, NY. In Read It and Leave It programming, home library building is paired with play- and art-based literacy activities during community events. The choice of books is culturally conscious, allowing children an opportunity to see themselves reflected in the literature. Either operating out of a school, community center, kid friendly retail store or in the park, a suitcase full of culturally conscious books is taken to the event location. We pair our motivational readings with an arts curriculum, designed to be fun, age-appropriate and engage literacy. We also serve the community with healthy snacks, enrichment and needs-based items or services including haircuts, haircut vouchers, hair braiding, toys, fresh produce, meals, clothes, socks, games, art kits. Read It and Leave It events serve anywhere from 5-20 children per session, and we are looking to grow our influence. Children can range in age from infants to 13 years. We partner with local business owners, schools, community centers and work in parks to reach as many children as possible.

'Read It & Leave It’ is a program designed and run by a local Harlem volunteer and is designed (1) to build home libraries full of culturally-conscious books and (2) to improve attitudes toward reading and literacy through community programming that involves art-making and age-appropriate play.