FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 2, 2013
MEDIA CONTACTS: Collin Nash, Ryan Mulholland, & Sam Marksheid | (516) 869-7794
North Hempstead’s ‘Yes We Can’ Community Center Opens New Children’s Reading Corner
North Hempstead, NY – Supervisor Jon Kaiman and Town Councilwoman Viviana Russell, in collaboration with the regional non-profit organization Early Years Institute (EYI) recently unveiled a “Children’s Reading Corner” at the North Hempstead ‘Yes We Can’ Community Center.
The corner, outfitted with a child-sized couch, armchair and three free-standing bookshelves stocked with a wide range of children’s books, was officially opened to the public June 27.
“With rising concern that our children are spending far too much time on screens, this reading corner is a great investment in our youth to help foster the invaluable habit of reading while building the literacy skills of all the young visitors,” Supervisor Kaiman said.
The Reading Corner was made possible with the help of a grant from the Nassau Bar Association’s “We Care Fund,” book donations from Lectorum Publications, Inc and the Early Years Institute (EYI), a Plainview, NY-based non profit serving as a catalyst to ensure that local children have the opportunities they need to succeed in school.
Donated by the Westbury Library, the materials in the Reading Corner, including picture books for youngsters, are available in English, Spanish and Creole.
In addition to EYI staffers, the unveiling was also attended by Assemblyman Charles Lavine as well as staff from North Hempstead’s Department of Parks and Recreation and Town Councilwoman Viviana Russell.
“The “Yes We Can” Community Center has become a significant resource for the children of our community, and we are so happy to help provide them even further with the skills they need to succeed,” Councilwoman Russell said.
Thanks to “North Hempstead’s leadership for opening the doors for us,” EYI’s Senior Vice President, Helen Dorado Alessi said “when research blends with grassroots efforts to tackle solutions and it comes to fruition like this, it’s awesome.”
The impetus for the Reading Corner was found in data from using the Early Development Instrument—a nationally-recognized measurement of school readiness—that was executed in the Westbury School District in 2010.
Richard Burton, Legislative Aide to Councilwoman Viviana Russell, Colleen McCrea, Westbury Library Ass’t Director, Johanna Rotta, EYI’s Coordinator of Community Assets, Jaci Clement, EYI’s board member and Executive Director Fair Media Council, April Brown-Lake, Executive Director of the Town of North Hempstead “Yes We Can” Community Center, Helen Dorado Alessi, EYI’s Senior VP, Councilwoman Viviana Russell Town of North Hempstead, Colleen Multari, EYI’s Director of Early Learning, Emily Farrell, Westbury Library Children’s Librarian..