The summer is crucial to keep students engaged and accelerate their learning. Research shows that children who do not read during the summer can lose up to three months of the reading progress, and for many, that loss has a cumulative, long-term effect. As the summer months begin, awareness campaigns also coincide – National Safety Month, National Family Month, and National Preparedness Month.
“As a community, we want to help youth engage in reading, but there is also an opportunity for them to express their creativity through art,” said Skip Stanton, chair of the board for the Aqua Cares Foundation. “We aligned ourselves with two other organizations that share the same values – Goodwill Manasota, and Pregnancy Solutions, to create a campaign encouraging youth to read and draw how they can keep their home and family safe.”
“As parents, we know that reading is one of the safest summer activities. Encourage your kids to put down electronics and take a digital detox and take time to read about how to keep they can stay safe in their homes. Youth can receive a complimentary book from Goodwill. Strong families spend time together through activities like reading a bedtime story,” said Donn Githens, president & CEO of Goodwill Manasota.
To receive a complimentary book, youth (at any age) can draw, color, or write about how they can create a safer home. When completed, please email it to the Aqua Cares Foundation at info@aquacaresfoundation.org or text to the Aqua Cares Foundation at 941.415.3425; each youth will receive a book voucher redeemable at any Goodwill Manasota retail or bookstore location in Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto, or northwest Charlotte Counties.
Together, these nonprofits highlight the importance of family involvement in the lives of children and encourage families to spend time together, renew relationships, grow and strengthen the family unit and encourage people to focus on keeping their homes safe and free from danger.
“Taking a few simple actions to prioritize home safety right now can protect loved ones against some of the most common safety hazards, falls, fires and burns, and poisonings, and prevent an injury that could have life-long consequences,” said Stanton “Collaborating with other organizations is a terrific synergy that helps provide a greater impact in our community.”
For more information, please visit www.aquacaresfoundation.com
Photo ID: Kennedy and Kolt Strausbaugh
ABOUT AQUA PLUMBING & AIR and the Aqua Cares Foundation
Aqua Plumbing & Air’s 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Aqua Cares Foundation, provides education, training, and advocacy on home safety. Their mission statement is to provide safety and comfort while being a light in our community. To learn more, please visit www.aquacaresfoundation.org.
ABOUT GOODWILL MANASOTA
Goodwill Manasota is an industry-leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that changes lives through the power of work. With philanthropic donations and revenue generated by the sales of donated goods, Goodwill is able to assist people with disabilities, veterans, seniors, and those with other barriers to employment by providing jobs, job skills training, and free career services. For more information or for a listing of locations, visit www.experiencegoodwill.org or call 941-355-2721.
ABOUT PREGNANCY SOLUTIONS
Pregnancy Solutions is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers men, women, and youth with life-affirming options and support. They are dedicated to Moms and Dads experiencing unexpected, unplanned, or unwanted pregnancies by providing free care to women and men, including ultrasound, pregnancy tests, and women’s health in Port Charlotte, North Port, Arcadia, and Punta Gorda. For more information, please visit www. pregnancysolutions.org or call (941) 408-7100.