Launching Libraries
This Cornerstone Project is about helping our local children have access to books for summer reading. KHK works hard to collect used or new books to allow each child at our featured school to take home 2 books for the summer. The mission of Launching Libraries is to provide access to literature but to also help students "launch libraries" in their own homes. We have collected and placed over 100,000 books since we started 8 years ago!
Launching Libraries 2020
Recognizing that access to books is essential to building literacy, over the years, our volunteers at KHK have collected and placed over 102,000 books with the goal of helping children create or expand their own home libraries.
While the initiative looks a little different this year, we hope that by providing these digital Launching Library kits for families, we can continue our goal to keep children engaged in reading throughout the summer. This year's literacy kit has been provided to over 500 Stamford students via downloadable PDF!
This 16 page PDF filled with reading lists, literacy activities and coloring pages is now available to our community via a $5 donation to KHK.
*This year's Launching Library Literacy Kits were provided to all students at Roxbury Elementary!*
Our Goal
To “Launch Libraries” in the homes of Roxbury School students and promote literacy
The PDF Packet Includes
- Reading Lists for grades K-5
- Literacy activities
- Coloring Pages
- Summer Reading "Scavenger Hunt"
- Crossword Puzzle
- Word Search
Download the KHK Literacy Packet here!
*Please consider making a donation to KHK if you and your little ones enjoy this labor of love!*
Project History
Launching Libraries 2017: We partnered with SPEF and to create a taking library at Stillmeadow Elementary School in Stamford. This allowed students to take any books they want to help them create their own libraries at home. The amazing 5th graders at Stillmeadow led lead this project to share their love of reading with the younger students at school. The graduate ambassadors from Stillmeadow who created this project at Cloonan Middle School came back to help. Overall, the project was a success! In total, over 3,500 books were collected to be used by 750 Stillmeadow students.
Launching Libraries 2015: We partnered with the Bridgeport Child Care Learning Center to create a small library for their community. Ted M., our lead ambassador received a small grant to help us cover the costs of building the bookcases and we had the PenStar Series team leading as well!
A few words from members…
“We got involved with Kids Helping Kids in October 2011 when they came to our after school program and we enrolled in a workshop called, Turn Your Passion into Action. We initiated a holiday party for kids at the NEON center and it was so great seeing our passion and ideas transform into action." Sarahfina S. explained, “We created our second project around food hunger and Launching Libraries is our third project.” We know lots of kids do not have books and we want to get books into their hands to help educate them.” said Smana S. Melissa G. added that, “It does not take much time to help and we enjoy getting together and helping make a difference in the lives of other kids. All three teens are 11th graders at Norwalk High School.
What Can a Book Donation Do?
- Reading enhances a child’s vocabulary, and helps them understand how to read and write.
- Students who read independently become better readers, score higher on achievement tests in all subject areas, and have greater content knowledge than those who do not.
- Reading develops a child’s imagination and creativity.
- The more elementary-aged students read outside of school, the higher they scored on reading achievement tests.
- Reading together encourages a thirst for knowledge.
- Multiple studies support that even a small amount of independent reading increases primary and elementary students’ reading comprehension, vocabulary growth, spelling facility, understanding of grammar, and knowledge of the world
If you are interested in starting a library, contact us! We’d love to hear from you!
