SARASOTA/BRADENTON, FL – Recently, Goodwill Manasota received a generous donation of more than 200 children’s books from the Sarasota Cooperative Learning Project (SCLP) to fortify the Goodwill Good Readers Program. The Goodwill Good Readers are volunteers who read to students at area Title I schools and then present each child with a book to take home. Since 2013, the Good Readers have read to more than 400 students at Alta Vista Elementary School in Sarasota and have also read and given books to students at The Visible Men Academy in Bradenton.
The Sarasota Cooperative Learning Project is a secular, inclusive and diverse homeschooling/unschooling cooperative open to all families. Its goal is to provide an opportunity for children in preschool through high school to explore new topics with specialized instructors in a hands-on, group learning environment while connecting homeschooling families and nurturing friendships.
The Goodwill Foundation welcomed the opportunity to forge a new partnership with this community organization in order to support literacy efforts at area schools.
“When we learned of the SCLP’s desire to make a book donation, we knew exactly what to do with the books: we wanted to get them out to all local students in both counties. Forging a new partnership with a wonderful community organization was icing on the cake,” said Goodwill Manasota vice president Veronica Brandon Miller. “Numerous studies show a direct correlation between reading at grade level and the opportunity for future success in a student’s life. This offered a great opportunity to encourage a love of reading for the students while connecting them to community leaders from our Good Readers program.”
To learn how you can become a Goodwill volunteer, please call (941) 355-2721, ext. 107.
About Goodwill Manasota
Goodwill Manasota is an industry-leading, 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization that changes lives through the power of work. With the sales of donated goods and philanthropic donations, Goodwill is able to assist people with disabilities and other barriers to employment by providing job skills training and employment opportunities. In 2016, Goodwill Manasota served 28,207 people, placed 755 people in jobs and assisted 240 veterans as they reintegrated back into the civilian workforce. Goodwill Manasota’s economic impact back to the community is worth $92.1 million. Goodwill is one of the pioneers of the reduce-reuse-recycle movement and this past year diverted more than 40 million pounds out of the landfill. We accomplish our mission through a network of Good Neighbor Centers in Sarasota, Manatee, Hardee and DeSoto counties and our Mission Development Services (MDS) around North America. Goodwill Manasota is accountable to a local Board of Directors. Goodwill Manasota, in essence, belongs to this community and is not owned by any individual or company. For more information, visit www.experiencegoodwill.org.