Safeway, Reading Tree and Reading Partners join forces to help schools in northern California, Bay Area
Take advantage of an easy, convenient way to recycle used and unwanted books by dropping them in a Reading Tree collection bin now at one of 90 Safeway store locations throughout northern California and the Bay Area.
All books on any subject and for any age are welcomed. Gently used children’s books will be sorted and given to area schools for tutoring programs, and other worn books, encyclopediae and text books will be recycled to support the Reading Tree program.
To find store locations of the Safeway-Reading Tree’s blue collection bins in the Bay Area and Northern California visit www.readingtree.org and click on “get involved.” Schools, retailers, groups and individuals who would like more information can email info@readingtree.org or call toll-free 888-402-2665.
“This is a wonderful program to benefit our area schools,” said Karl Schroeder, president of Safeway’s Northern California Division. “School budgets are tight and so these donations to area schools allow children who may not have access to books to experience the joy of reading. We’re proud to offer our customers and the general public a chance to give back in this way.”
Reading Partners, a not-for-profit headquartered in Oakland and the alliance’s third collaborator, will help select some of the schools to receive books. Reading Partners currently operates in 32 schools in California, serving 1,707 students with a team of 1,635 volunteers. The organization trains volunteers to teach reading to struggling youngsters during one-on-one tutoring sessions that are integrated into the students’ regular school day. Safeway employees also will volunteer to read to children.
Volunteers need only commit one hour per week and benefit from Reading Partners full-time staff support, training and resources. On average, students’ literacy skills increase by a full grade level after 25 hours of tutoring by volunteers in the Reading Partners program. Visit www.readingpartners.org to learn how to volunteer.
Gina Zambori, executive director of Reading Tree, encourages school administrators interested in receiving books to contact Reading Tree directly. “We are eager to serve youngsters in schools throughout the area and expect to have books that have been collected by Reading Tree in several schools when school starts again in late August,” she says.
Reading Tree (www.readingtree.org) is a national non-profit organization that collects all kinds of books and donates undamaged children’s books to schools, libraries and families who need them. The organization has placed large, blue book collection bins at 90 Safeway stores in Northern California for book donations. All donations are tax deductible and will go to local schools.
Safeway (www.safeway.com) has 1,694 grocery stores across the US and Canada. They include 312 Vons stores in Southern California and Nevada, 112 Randalls and Tom Thumb stores in Texas, 37 Genuardi's store in the Philadelphia area, as well as 17 Carrs stores in Alaska. Safeway staff have committed to joining the area’s diverse community of volunteers, made up of individuals and community partners.
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