Saturday, December 4, 2010

Burlington Vermont's 'Book Buddies' Program


Link to December 4 Burlington Free Press article, "'Book Buddies' build community at shelter".

Excerpt: So began another episode of “Book Buddies” at the Champlain shelter, one of three refuges for homeless families operated in Burlington by the Committee on Temporary Shelter. Book Buddies has become an evening story-hour ritual at all three. Volunteers read children’s picture books to anyone who cares to listen. For the younger set, these amount to bedtime stories. When the hour’s up, the volunteers pass out stickers that can be redeemed for prizes.

“We’re thrilled by Book Buddies,” said Rita Markley, COTS executive director. “It does two things. It helps make reading a lot more fun — it greatly enhances what happens in the classroom. And it give the kids the kind of attention that the parents are often too stressed to provide
.”

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