March is always a time of change as we move from winter to spring. This year’s March is full of more change than usual as families and schools make decisions about the transition from at-home to in-person learning. Turning the Page continues to support families during this uniquely challenging period. This month we also continued our usual programs, running a book distribution as well as a virtual Family Room event with the Anacostia Watershed Society.
Building Home Libraries
Access to books at home is shown to positively affect a student’s long-term achievement. Turning the Page aims to ensure that families have diverse, high quality collections of books for their children. During this month’s book distribution we were able to deliver 360 books to 65 families in Chicago and 351 books to 44 families in DC. Of those families. 50 families received books for the first time from us this year! The hand-delivered book packs are catered to the interests of each child, so they become even more eager to read.
Connecting with families who received books this month has yielded lots of positive feedback. Older children have loved their new chapter books and younger ones are enjoying picture books to read with a parent. Families will have great books to choose from at home and can expand their at-home libraries with our next book distribution in April.
Exploring the Anacostia River
This month Turning the Page’s Family Room highlighted the effort to clean up the Anacostia River and its watershed so that it can be a safe place for people and animals! Every year Turning the Page partners with the Anacostia Watershed Society to educate local families about the river. In years past, families have visited the river in person and done their learning on guided boat tours. This year’s event was a little different. Instead of meeting in person we met virtually. This allowed us to expand the opportunity to include the families we work with in Chicago, in addition to those in DC.
The Anacostia Watershed Society’s Manager of Education, Chris Lemieux, led an educational and entertaining event for everyone at home. Chris told us about his organization’s efforts to make the Anacostia River safe to swim in and fish from. We learned how the Anacostia becomes polluted, what steps are being taken to clean the river, and how everyone’s actions on land can make a difference! Along the way, engaged parents and children asked great questions about the animals affected by the pollution and the ongoing efforts to make the river safe.
Want to support building home libraries and virtual field trips like this? Consider a donation today!