Picture books have long played a crucial role in helping children develop language skills, learn about the world, and foster emotional awareness and empathy. The "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign from E.W. Scripps and an initiative by the Miami-Dade County Head Start program, is putting books into the hands of children from low-income homes, highlighting the timeless importance of literacy.
"We're really excited to be partnering with WSFL and the 'If You Give a Child a Book' campaign," said Michelle Toral, Head Start manager from the Miami-Dade County program. "They reached out to us to bring books to parents and families so that children had more access to high-quality books."
The Miami-Dade County Head Start program serves over 7,500 children from birth to age five, as well as expectant mothers. "Access to books is something that's been very challenging. Buying a book is not always a parent's priority," Michelle explained. "Being able to provide books to children and these families is invaluable."
The program focuses on emotional development and the connections and interactions that children have with their families. "Any child that receives a book, any child that goes through our program, is a success story," she added. "We're working to help each and every family make sure that they are successful."
One parent, Michael Herring, shared how the program has impacted his child. "I think it's helped tremendously. My child has progressed quite a bit since when she started," he said.
Each year, the campaign selects a different center and distributes books to children at dismissal time. This ensures that all children attending the center have access to the books they need to thrive.
For more information about the program and how to support it, visit miamidade.gov/headstart.
