Food Bank adds educational programming to the fight against hunger
[NEWS RELEASE] The Superstition Community Food Bank (SCFB) is proud to announce the Little Snack Book Bank. The little bank houses new children books, non-perishable snacks and water for children and individuals in our community. It was built by John Young and JT Slade, and painted by Linda Wiseman, dedicated SCFB volunteers.
According to Myra Garcia, Executive Director, the idea for the Little Snack Book Bank developed from an endowment received from an anonymous donor who requested the funding be used specifically for educational programming through the food bank. About three-fourths of Arizona’s third graders do not read proficiently (source: achievepinal.com). Children who do not read at grade level by fourth grade are four times more likely not to graduate from high school, which can contribute to a cycle of poverty. Many homes do not have books readily available, a problem that is particularly challenging for children who need to read books and have books read to them in order to build foundational learning skills.
The food bank has partnered with Kids Need to Read, a local Mesa non-profit that encourages kids to discover the joy of reading and the power of a literate mind (source: http://www.kidsneedtoread.org). In Pinal County 1:4 children live in a food insecure home. The Little Snack Book Bank is another way the food bank is helping to feed the hungry while also working with partners to help bridge the literacy gap.
The food bank’s future plans are to develop further educational programming, such as, cooking classes, the inclusion of recipe ideas in the standard food boxes given to clients, and financial stability classes. Those who would like to donate to the food bank’s programming may do so by going to http://www.superstitionfoodbank.org
