NEWS AND NOTES ABOUT SHELBY COUNTY BOOKS FROM BIRTH
SPRING 2016
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US! 10 YEARS; 100,000 CHILDREN; 4 M ILLION BOOKS! On June 30, 2015, Books from Birth began its 10th year with the exciting announcement that since inception over 100,000 children have participated, and over 4 million books have been mailed! Books from Birth remains the largest affiliate in the world of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, sending books every month to over 40,000 enrolled children in Shelby County. Below is a reprint of an article by K. Denise Jennings originally appearing in The Daily News on Wednesday, September 9, 2015.
Books f rom Birt h Surpasses 4 Mil l ion-Book Mark K. DENISE JENNINGS | Special t o The Dail y News
For adults, mail isn?t very exciting. It?s typically a bill or insurance statement. Maybe it?s a catalog or coupon booklet. But for kids, mail has a different connotation. Maybe it?s a birthday invitation or a postcard from a well-traveled relative. And for 100,000 children so far in Shelby County, it comes every month in the form of a new book. Books from Birth is a program that mails every enrolled child in Shelby County a new book each month from birth to age 5. And the program marked a milestone this summer: In its 10th year, Books from Birth passed the 100,000 mark of children served in Shelby County. It now has mailed more than 4 million books. Books from Birth is an affiliate of Dolly Parton?s Imagination Library, which was founded in the country music star?s Sevier County, Tenn., home. Parton?s mission was to foster the love of reading among preschool children and their families and to make sure every child could have books regardless of their income. Imagination Library is now available in four countries and 39 U.S. states and Shelby County?s Books from Birth program is the largest of them by far, said Andra DeVincenzo, communications manager for Shelby County Books from Birth. Compared to children who did not participate in the program, Imagination Library participants performed better on kindergarten-readiness measures across the board, according to ?An Impact Analysis, Dolly Parton?s Imagination Library in Tennessee 2004-2014.? ?We?re really proud that it has done so well and reaches so many children,? she said.
Fif t een-mont h-ol d Books From Birt h recipient Prencet on Webb f inds t he nose of his brot her Prent iss whil e being read a chil dren?s st ory about body part s. (Daily News File/ Andrew J. Breig)
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Continued from page 1: Memphis Mayor A C Whart on?s grandson is enrolled in the program, which Wharton says is one of the things he is most proud of bringing to Shelby County during his time as county mayor. ?Our community knows the importance of training a child early,? Wharton said. ?If a love of education is imparted as soon as possible, it has a greater chance of being engrained in that child.? Conventional wisdom said that the program wouldn?t work in Memphis, a highly mobile urban area, DeVincenzo said. ?But we are able to reach 60 percent of the kids in Shelby County,? she said. ?No other nonprofit comes close to that, because it?s for everyone who lives in or is born in Shelby County.? ?If we even tried to say it was only for those in need, we would waste so much time and money identifying that. This program has no red tape, no regulation and it?s so much more efficient doing it that way.? Books from Birth is funded by a partial grant from the state, which is a combination of private money and a legislative grant, and the rest is raised locally from parents, community members and corporations. It costs $34 per year to serve one child. Shelby County has to raise $1.3 million each year to fund the program. Keosha Gl asco?s child is currently enrolled in Books from Birth. She sees the benefit of the program in her own home and as a kindergarten teacher at Hol mes Road El ement ary in Whit ehaven. ?Our goal is to change the whole culture where Shelby County is a place where reading is important in every ZIP code, and every household gets that this is important for every child,? she said. Lauren Ut t erback has a 7-year-old son who is a graduate of the program and began getting the books when he was three months old. ?It was part of our routine. We got the book every month, and we read them over and over and even memorized some of them," she said. "We?ve really liked the variety of books. We?re kind of a reading family anyway, but many of the books he?s gotten we were not familiar with and we?ve discovered different authors that we like.? Ut t erback says her favorite thing about the program is that it is for everyone. ?That is a beautiful thing,? she said. ?It?s an equalizer in a lot of ways.? Enrollment forms are passed out to new moms in the hospital; children can be signed up anytime online at www.booksfrombirth.org or by calling the office at 901-820-4501. ?We want it to be as easy as possible for everyone to get enrolled,? DeVincenzo said. Editor?s note: Peter Schutt, president and CEO of The Daily News Publishing co., is a member of Books from Birth?s board of directors.
WELCOME! Books from Birth is excited to announce that Cindy Bennet t has joined the staff as the new Development Officer. Cindy has already jumped into the work on multiple levels - visiting hospitals that enroll the majority of Books from Birth children, meeting with donors, writing grants, and working multiple community events. Cindy is an attorney who has practiced in Memphis for over twenty years. She is married to Rick Bennet t and has two children, Amanda and Curt, in college. Cindy brings a wealth of experience and a passion for expanding the work of Books from Birth.
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THE DIRECTOR' S STORY by Peter Abell, Executive Director
To move the needle we have to start at home. Kindergarten readiness is a term that broadly describes a condition when a student starts formal schooling at an appropriate level. At its core, the requirements for success are simple: know the alphabet, count to ten, know colors and shapes, identify your own name, sit still for fifteen minutes at a time, be able to use the bathroom independently. If these things can all be checked off, then for the most part, the child is considered ready. Brain science shows the often-mentioned "learning gap" that develops between children in poverty and all others is essentially solidified by age three. It is hard once formal education begins to be able to make up for the growth that just did not occur in poor children. Hidden very deep in this ominous research, however, is an amazing opportunity to reach children before this gap is in place, of capitalizing on what even a modest investment can mean to the long-term outlook for a young child. The key is to act when children are young. Children in Shelby County have very different futures depending on where they live, at least statistically. Our most affluent areas are doing just fine. Children are consistently starting kindergarten at very near the prescribed standard, and those that do not are able to get extra help since the system is not overwhelmed with extreme need. In contrast, children entering school in our poorest areas are overwhelmingly in the lowest performing groups. Metaphorically speaking, our kids are in a race, and the poorest kids have to start the furthest back and without laces in their shoes. It is a harsh reality that what is most needed is seemingly outside of the reach of school reform, regardless of school affiliation. What must be supported is the home learning environment, and all communities benefit from this regardless of income. This is the primary area we address at Books from
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continued Birth. By sending high quality materials directly to children where they live, Books from Birth is preparing children for school by transforming the culture of reading at home. For only $21 per year, a child receives a book in the mail, and a family receives the tools it needs to prepare that child for school. Join us in moving the needle of kindergarten readiness for our most vulnerable children.
LITTLE RED CABOOSE CLUB
In April, we announced a new way for families to show their support of early literacy in Shelby County. Each month, more than 600 children graduate from Books from Birth on their 5th birthday, and receive their final book, Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come! Now, we invite families of graduates to join our Little Red Caboose Club by paying it forward. For a donation of $20 or more, families can sponsor a child with an entire year of new, high-quality, age-appropriate books from the same program their child grew to love. Families that are a part of the Little Red Caboose Club receive an adorable car magnet, announcing both their participation in Books from Birth and that they have given back at the end of their journey. We hope soon you will be seeing these all over town!
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BOOK IT 5K!
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BOOK IT 5K! Every fall for the last five years. Church of t he Hol y Communion has come together to put on one of the most entertaining, "best-food, great music, awesome course" races in Memphis - the famous Book It 5K! Along with the Emmanuel Cent er, Books from Birth is an enthusiastic participant and grateful recipient of the proceeds of this generous congregation. Recreation director Jul ie Fike spends the better part of the year organizing the details, and Fat her Sandy Webb champions the congregation and runners from throughout the city. September 18, 2015 saw over 500 racers gather to run, dance, and support children in Memphis. Since its inception, the Book It 5K has donated over $50,000 to Books from Birth.
Artists, art, and a large, energetic crowd converged at Crosst own Art s for a night to mix, mingle, and buy. BfB Board Member and renowned Memphis artist Darl ene Newman curated an exciting and eclectic show, and artists generously shared their proceeds with us. What a fun night for everyone who participated!
ART FOR A SM ART START
SPR IN G 2016 Issue 6 | Volume 4 | 2013
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Thank you to our donors w ho have given generously January 1, 2015 - June 30, 2015. Anonymous
Collierville Farmers Market
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony House
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Abell
Ms. Janice Compton
Mr. and Mrs. Adam Irving
Ms. Eileen Adams
Ms. Andre Crafford
Ms. Connie Jacobs
Mr. and Mrs. Stan Addison
Ms. Katie Crews
Mr. and Mrs. Rocky Janda
Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Aldrich
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Davis
Mrs. Karen Jetton
Mr. Anthony Amadio
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Denzer
Ms. Michelle Johns
Assisi Foundation Of Memphis
Ms. Andra DeVincenzo
Ms. Susan Johnson and Ms. Sandra Clamp
Ms. Kelly Athow
Mr. and Mrs. John Dobbs
Ms. Jane Jones
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Athow
Mr. Jim Doran
Ms. Cate Joyce
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Barnes
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Doughtie III
Mr. Vijay Kalaga
Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Barnett
Judy Drescher and Dave Lindstrom
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Kaminsky
Mr. James Barrasso
Ms. Shelley Durfee
Ms. Chris Kelyman
Mr. John Barrios
Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Durley
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth J. Kimble, III
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Bedwell
Mr. and Mrs. James K. Ensor III
Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Kinnear
Mr. and Mrs. William Bickers
Ms. Jennifer Estes
Kiwanis Club of Germantown
Ms. Melissa Bode
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Ferguson
Ms. Ellen Klyce
Ms. Pat Bogan
Mr. Claiborne Ferguson
Mr. and Mrs., James Knight
Ms. Barbara Bond
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Fisher
Mr. and Mrs. Collie Krausnick
Ms. Ashley Bonds
Dr. and Mrs. Edward Friedman
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Kris
Mr. and Mrs. Warren Brashear
Mr. Patrick Galphin
Kroger Rebate Fund
Ms. Jennifer Brezina
Ms. Erin Garner
Drs. William and Carol Kutteh
Ms. Holly Bronson
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Gay
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Brown
Mr. and Mrs. JW Gibson
Ms. Emily Lavenue- Roberts and Mr. William Chad Roberts
Mr. George Brown
Mr. Brown Gill
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Brunson
Mr. and Mrs. James Gilliland
Mr. and Mrs. William J. Buck
Ms. Crystal Givens
Ms. Rebecca Burns
Mrs. Summer Godman
Mr. and Mrs. Troy Burrow
Ms. Autumn L. Goerke
Ms. Jennifer Carter Cash
Ms. Colleen Goodspeed
Mr. and Mrs. George E. Cates
Grace-St.Luke's Episcopal Church
Ms. Susan Cayce
Mr. and Mrs. Alan Graves
Dr. and Mrs. Walt Chambliss
Ms. Harriett Green
Ms. Robbye Chandler
Ms. Mary C. Green
Ms. Heather Pearson Chauhan
Ms. Brenda Grinder
Chick-fil-A at Collierville FSU
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Guinn
Church Of The Holy Communion
Mr. Douglas Halijan
City Of Bartlett
Ms. Pat Hannah
Ms. Louise Claney
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Harris
Ms. Laura Clark
Mrs. Brooke Hassenzahl
Mr. Josh Clark
Health Choice, LLC
Ms. Liz Cloverdale
Ms. Meredith Hennessy
Collierville Contemporary Club
Mr. and Mrs. Joel Hobson
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Lee Ms. Molly Lockwood Mr. Ralf Loeffler Ms. Maria Lopez Ms. Debbie L. Lourens Mr. and Mrs. Michael Lupfer Mr. and Mrs. Andrew MacQueen Mr. and Mrs. Nick Vergos Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Mallory Mr. and Mrs. Lee Mallory Ms. Sandy Manes Ms. Molly Mann Ms. Gloria Marchant Mark Luttrell Charitable Fund Ms. Rhonda Martin Mr. Joseph McCormack Ms. Donna McCreery Mr. and Mrs. Mathew McCrory Mr. and Mrs. Jere McGuffee II
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Thank you to our donors w ho have given generously January 1, 2015 - June 30, 2015. Ms. Kate McKinney
Plough Foundation
Ms. Vinnie Standard
Ms. Corinne McLaughlin
Ms. Ava Rowan Portis
Ms. Melissa Starrett
Ms. Katie McNeal
Ms. Aurora Read
Mr. and Mrs. Baker Stewart
Mr. and Mrs. Phillip McNeill
Ms. Lesley Richardson
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Strodtbeck
Mrs. Elizabeth Mednikow
Mr.and Mrs. Neil Ringel
Ms. Candace Tate
Medtronic Foundation
Mr. Roy Robbins
Terracycle US, LLC
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Midgley
Ms. Jennifer Robertson
Ms. Mary Lou Thesmar
Ms. Brandoria Miller
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Rodgers
The University Of Memphis
Ms. Lauren Mills
Mr. and Mrs. John Rooney, Jr.
The Urban Child Institute
Mrs. Rochelle Moore-Jackson and Mr. Darrell Jackson
Ms. Elizabeth Rose
Ms. Amy Thomas
Mr. and Mrs. William Ryan
Mr. Anil Thridandapani
Ms. Margarita Sandino
Ms. Melanie Tigrett
Ms. Paula Sansom
Dr. David Tipton
Sawyers & Jacobs LLC
Ms. Kelly Trim
Scales Consulting Group
Ms. Jane Tyson
Mary and Joe Scheuner
Ms. Beth Ueleke
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Seamons
Ms. Julie Umansky
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Seamons
Ms. Mary VanGieson
Mrs. Peggy Seessel
Mr. and Mrs. Wade Walker
Mr. and Mrs. L. Craig Shaw
Ms. Cherita Walton
Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Shelton
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Weaver
Ms. Amy Sisson
Ms. Kathleen Werner
Mr. and Mrs. Mike Sisson
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher West
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Sklar
Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Wharton
Ms. Doree Jane Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Steve White
Ms. Catherine Smith
Ms. Laurel Williams
Ms. Caroline Smith
Mr. and Mrs. C. Scott Williams
Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Smith
Mr. and Mrs. William Winstead
Mr. and Mrs. David Smith
Ms. Karen Woodyard
Mr.and Mrs. Donn Southern
Xerox Corporation
Dr. Susan and Mr. Patrick Morgan Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Morrison Dr. Jennifer Morrow Mr. ad Mrs. Edward Morrow Ms. Brooke Morrow Mr. and Mrs. J. Greg Morten Ms. Mollie Moudden Mr. and Mrs. Brent Mullins Mr. James Murphy Ms. Susan Murray Ms. Jacquelyn Nerren Ms. Darlene Newman Northeast Shelby County Rotary Club Ms. Hope K. O'Briant Ms. Kristen O'Connell Mr. and Mrs. Mark O'Malley The Bank of Fayette County Ms. Ann Parker Ms. Lisa Parker Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Pence Ms. Stephanie Phillips McGavic
Speer Charitable Trust Mr. and Mrs.Richard Spore
Thank you to our donors w ho have made memorial gifts January 1, 2015 - June 30, 2015. Rainer Nelson Combs Mary Green Mary Mulherin Linda Newman Sklar Jack Pogatchnik Jennifer Carter
Ben Schwartz Deanna and Philip Kaminsky Mildred Silverman Deanna and Philip Kaminsky Margaret Taylor Linda Newman Sklar
Cecily W. Tipton Dr. David Tipton Joe Williams Victoria Gore
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Thank you to our donors w ho have made honorary gifts January 1, 2015 - June 30, 2015. Peter Abell
Dorothy Johnson
George Cates
Janie Morris
Lillian Brown
Wesley Kate Barnett
Cate and Jane Joyce
Rhonda Martin
Cheryl McCormack Lisa Morten
Kristen O'Connell
Nancy Bogatin
Corinne McLaughlin
Jane Joyce
Elizabeth Gerguson
Ashley Bonds
Shirley Lupfer
Jacquelyn Nerren
Brae and Drew Bond
Julia and Edward Morrow Barbara Nixon Shirley Lupfer
James Lovell
Barbara Bond
Patrick Galphin
David Colin Carter
Peggy Seesel Peter Schutt
Colleen Goodspeed
Jennifer Carter
George Cates
Douglas Halijan
Rigby Finch Clark
Julia and Jonathan Morrison
Josh Clark
Ann Parker
Essence Givens
Donald Anthony Malmo IV
Crystal Givens
Veazey and Collie Krausnick
Thank you and w elcome to our Little Red Caboose Club M embers January 1, 2015 - June 30, 2015. James Barrasso and Family
Brooke Hassenzahl and Family
Susan Morgan and Family
Jean Bedwell and Family
Jane Jones and Family
Susan Murray and Family
Rebecca Burns and Family
Maria Lopez and Family
Jennifer Robertson and Family
Troy Burrow and Family
Margarita Sandino and Family
Jennifer Durley and Family
Rochelle Moore-Jackson and Darrell Jackson and Family
Erin Garner and Family
Lauren Mills and Family
Kelly Trim and Family
WHAT'S IN A NAME? Everyone loves a list! Each month, Books from Birth enrolls over 1000 children, a fairly good barometer of baby names in this area. Here is the first official list of the most popular baby names of enrolled children born in 2014.
GIRLS 1. Madison 2. Brooklyn 3. Olivia 4. Peyton (Payton) 5. Ava 6. Zoe (y) 7. Sofia (Sophia) 8. Avery 9. Aubrey 10. Abigail
Caroline Smith and Family
Thank you Maggie and Milton Lovell who celebrated their son's third birthday with donations being made in his honor to Books from Birth.
BOYS 1. Aiden (Ayden) 2. Jaiden (Jayden) 3. William 4. Joshua 5. Mason 6. Logan 7. Christian 8. Caleb 9. Carter 10. Andrew
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Shelby County Books from Birth P.O. BOX 17008 Memphis, TN 38187-0008
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE
PAID MEMPHIS, TN PERMIT NO. 533
Board of Directors Peter Schutt ? Chair
Dar lene New m an
Car ol Seam ons - Vice-Chair
M ar k O'M alley
Casey M cNeill ? Secr etar y
M ear l Pur vis
Lisa Chow M allor y ? Tr easur er
M ar y Scheuner
Dr. Becky Ander son
M ar lene Shaw
Sar ah Cow ens
Stephanie Sim pson
Sally Walker Davies
Gina Sm ith
Judy Dr escher
Jenny M aller y Ver gos
Cate Joyce
Alexander W har ton
John Lew is
Dr. Jason Yaun
Katie M idgley
Kim M acQueen - Past-Chair
Books from Birth is changing lives by promoting kindergarten readiness and strengthening family bonds in Shelby County. We greatly appreciate your support!
booksfrombirth.org (901) 820-4501
Peter Abell - Executive Dir ector Pat Hannah - Office M anager Cindy Bennett - Developm ent Officer
Jam ila W icks - Com m unity Developm ent M anager
M ar y Br addock - Com m unications M anager