Nebraska First Lady Suzanne Pillen joined state Education Commissioner Brian Maher and Nebraska Children and Families Foundation President and CEO Mary Jo Pankoke on Monday in Omaha to kick off the Nebraska Growing Readers Initiative.
$2-million dollars in federal COVID stimulus funds is being used to eliminate “book deserts” in Nebraska by working with child care providers and others to get more than a half-million books into households with the youngest Nebraskans.
National studies show having at least 100 books in a household is an important indicator and predictor of school success, but only 32% of Nebraska homes meet that threshold – just above the national average of 31%.
Commissioner Maher says “Reading is the foundation to everything we do” and it begins by “being around language” starting at a young age “so you can read, be literate and then begin to think critically.”
The initial phase of the Growing Readers Initiative is to get books into the hands of 16,000 children in 12,000 households and at 1,000 early childhood providers in 18 cities or regions across Nebraska
Another goal is for parents and other family members to use the books to read with their children every day.
Books available through the program are generally filled with pictures and range in topics from family to animals. They’re also available in both English and other languages, including Spanish.
. Each distribution site will receive technical assistance while data and interactive mapping tools will monitor progress and provide feedback for stakeholders and child care providers.
Maher, Pankoke, and First Lady Pillen say the overriding goal is to make Nebraska one of the nation’s extensive “book gardens” and to eliminate book deserts.