County Readers Strives to Get Books to Children

By Rachel Rice, Bangor Daily News, Maine

Jun. 27–CARIBOU — The Aroostook Training and Education Coalition is hoping to put books into the hands of as many local children as possible this summer through the County Readers book grant program.

Pat Desjardins, president of ATEC’s board of directors, said Monday that the program is an expansion of its nationally affiliated First Book program, which for the past two years has been limited strictly to low income families. ATEC is a coalition of agencies and educators committed to enhancing life and literacy in Aroostook County.

“Part of our mission is to provide books for any child in Aroostook County that wants to read and to have them start their own little home library,” Desjardins said.

ATEC officials were able to accomplish that goal when First Book initially started up about five years ago. In the past, they have helped bring books to places such as day care centers in the region. With the limitation put in place two years ago, though, Desjardins explained that it became hard to get books to every child who wanted to read.

After some serious brainstorming and the receipt of some funding from First Book, the United Way and the Presque Isle Rotary Club, ATEC has expanded its program with the creation this year of County Readers. Desjardins estimated that the organization has about $2,000 that it hopes to give out to individuals, families, agencies, businesses and schools to set up book programs.

Home schoolers and other organizations are encouraged to apply before July 12 for funding between $25 and $250. They must complete an application form and briefly describe the intended use of the books to be purchased with grant funds. Applications will be reviewed at the board level and applicants will be notified the same week of the board’s decision.

Those who receive awards must send a brief follow-up report by Sept. 15 about the success of their County Readers project.

Desjardins said that the board can’t award all applications because funding is limited. She said, however, that one of ATEC’s goals is to increase funding for the program so it is available in the future to all children.

Desjardins said that officials’ dual hope for the program is to increase literacy in the region, in order to create a more educated population and help the area grow, and to instill a love of reading.

“Our whole purpose is to increase the literacy of everyone in Aroostook County,” Desjardins said. “Our program is targeted to put books into the hands of anyone that wants to read.”

For more information about the program or for an application, call the Aroostook Training and Education Coalition at 493-7823.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Bangor Daily News, Maine

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