Though it may seem hard to believe, many children live in a home where they do not have a single book. Can you imagine being a child and not having any books to read? For these children, receiving a book that they can take home and call their own is the greatest treasure in the world.
According to Nirav Shah, President of EI Technologies and Shah Charity, “Some of these children do not own a single book. Providing the future of our nation with books is probably the best gift we can give them.” When we first started in year 2000, more than 800 children received books under this program. Today, we supply more than 5,000 books under this program every year.
Former Parker Mayor, Gary Lasater, started the Books and Toys program to address a need in the community. Lasater went on the state “my wife has been an elementary teacher for 25 years and a Title One teacher for four years. During this time, we find that those children who are reading below grade level often don’t have the support at home, due largely in part to their economic conditions. Families’ incomes are spent on the basic necessities, and they are traditionally not able to buy materials used for reading and writing at home.”
“I fully support trying to put a book in every child’s hands as his/her own. As a parent, a grandparent, and a former teacher, I know how valuable the skill and enjoyment of reading can be. I would urge anyone and everyone to get behind this effort to help our youngsters get off to a good start in life,” states Paul Tauer, Former Aurora Mayor.
For most of us, it is hard to fathom that something as small and simple as a book could be the greatest gift in the world. Yet having a book to take home and call their very own is something that most of these children cannot even imagine. Last year one child was overheard saying, “this is my only Christmas present this year.”