Fall 2015 Book Report

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

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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