By LOIS KINDLE
Inspira Tampa Bay programs continually support literacy throughout the community, and its Summer Reading Program is no exception.
Senior volunteers from St. John the Divine Episcopal Church started coming to the nonprofit organization in April, when Inspira was chosen as its monthly mission, to read one-on-one to children ages 3 and older for 30 minutes between 4 and 6 p.m. The children have no one at home to read to them or parents who have language or literacy barriers. Often they’re behind in their required reading levels in school.
The volunteers liked working with the kids so much, they continued coming and are now involved with Inspira’s Summer Reading Program.
“There are no income restrictions for families to sign up their children,” said bilingual speech pathologist Luz Gaona, Inspira Tampa Bay founder. “The program is strictly based on a child’s reading needs or interest.”
Any parent can sign up their child (or children) by calling 813-323-5783. It’s totally free.
All participants are registered through the SouthShore Regional Library portal by Inspira for three reading incentives offered through the library, Reading with the Rays and Reading with the Rowdies. At the end of summer (July 31), the kids can earn prizes based on a specified number of reading hours. These include a $24 Suncoast Credit Union savings account, two free tickets to a Tampa Bay Rowdies game and books, tote bags and other items.
New and gently used books read in the program can be checked out or given away.
“This is the first Inspira Summer Reading Program we’ve done with volunteers, and we can see the benefits already,” Gaona said. “The volunteers are highly motivated, eager to share and enjoy reading with the children. Some even bring books from home.
“The children love reading with them,” she continued. “They smile ear to ear. I wish I could take the connection they build and put it in a bottle. They feel honored and seen when they’re read to.”
Volunteers agree.
“We’re going to continue this as long as the kids want us to,” said Sun City Center resident Ronda O’Farrell, the St. John the Divine member who coordinated the volunteer effort through the church’s outreach committee; she is also Inspira board treasurer. “Our volunteers go once and then immediately ask, ‘When can we go back?’”
If you’d like to volunteer for Inspira’s Summer Reading Program or get more information on it, call 813-323-5783. You can also email info@inspiratampabay.org/.
Something more
Another way to build children’s interest in reading is through the New Worlds Reading program, offered by the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning. Inspira has partnered with the university to bring it to local area families.
Eligibility for the program is based on VPK through 5th-grade readers who are not yet meeting grade level expectations in Florida VPK programs, public schools and charter schools. The statewide New Worlds Reading program is designed to improve student literacy by providing children and their families with books they need to build literacy at home. Its books and activities help build a child’s reading confidence and support a lifelong love of reading.
A bilingual, New Worlds representative will be at Inspira, 707 West Lake Drive, Wimauma, from 4 to 6 p.m. June 26 to register children for free books. No pre-registration is required.
“Free books will be delivered to their homes every month and will continue to be delivered until the students finish 5th grade,” Gaona said.