The Dollar General Literacy Foundation recently awarded the Highland Park Public Library a $500 grant to support Book Buddies, a children’s summer literacy program. This local grant is part of more than $8.6 million in grants awarded to more than 950 schools, nonprofits and organizations across the communities Dollar General serves.
Book Buddies pairs teen volunteers with children from kindergarten to third grade to share a love of reading while supporting early literacy skills. “Book Buddies has been a tradition at the Highland Park Public Library for more than a decade, and has brought our youngest readers together with more experienced readers in grades six and up, who have already gained the habit of reading,” Youth Services Librarian Karen Jarzabski says. “It’s wonderful to see the younger and older readers form bonds around sharing stories.”
With schools and libraries closed during the pandemic, free access to books has been limited, creating an even larger learning gap for many struggling readers. This grant funding will help the library get physical books into the hands of young readers who need them the most. “The grant will help us to support young children practicing their reading skills during the important summer months when they are out of school,” said Kate Jaggers, Director of Highland Park Library, “something which is needed even more this year since access to books has been reduced. Engaging teens to work directly, even if virtually, with younger children makes the Book Buddies program a true community endeavor to spread the joy of reading.”
This year, Book Buddies meets once a week via Zoom on Thursday afternoons throughout the summer. Children can register at Children, and teen volunteers should register at Teen Volunteers.
For more information about the Book Buddies program, contact Karen Jarzabski at kmitchell@hpplnj.org or go to www.hpplnj.org.