TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Each month we spotlight a local nonprofit with our KGUN 9 Giving project. Once again for September, we're featuring a campaign near and dear to our hearts: the Scripps Howard Fund's If You Give a Child a Book.
We're raising funds to buy books for elementary students from a low-income elementary school right here in Tucson.
Julie Gates is a long-time first grade teacher at Nash Elementary, and knows the excitement her students feel when they receive free books as part of the annual campaign and book giveaway:
Pat Parris: "It's almost like Christmas for these kids?"
Julie Gates: "Absolutely, yeah."
For the past two years, every student in every grade at Nash, a Title I school in the Amphi District, has received between six and eight free books.
It's a difficult time for some of these families, and books take a back seat to essentials.
"Since COVID especially, things have been really tough and now with the economy out of control, people are just focusing on just basic needs," Gates tells me. "Books, unfortunately, are not on the priority list."
That's where If You Give a Child a Book comes in: We're again raising money to pay for the students to continue to build their home libraries, as they advance their reading skills and outgrow their old books. This year, our goals is to provide up to 10 new books for each student at Nash.
That includes the first graders in Gates's class.
"It's just the critical year where reading needs to come together," she said.
And a critical way to do that is to help these students build a home library.
"Really, at this age it's easy to get them excited about books," said Gates. "Maybe they just haven't had enough in their hands, that this is a new experience for them."
To donate to our If You Give a Child a Book campaign, you can text KGUN to 50155, or visit our donation page at kgun9.com/giveabook.
All of the money raised goes directly to the campaign to purchase books for the kids at Nash Elementary.
Thank you to those who donated on Wednesday, Sept. 4 to during our matching funds challenge by the Scripps Howard Fund, the foundation supported by KGUN 9's parent company, the E.W. Scripps Company. Our fundraising drive will continue through the month of September!
——-
Pat Parris is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. He is a graduate of Sabino High School where he was the 1982 high school state track champion in the 800 meters. While in high school and college, he worked part-time in the KGUN 9 newsroom. Share your story ideas and important issues with Pat by emailing pat.parris@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
