When You Read With A Child, Everybody Wins!

Obama Mentions Importance of Reading to Children and Volunteering in Address to Congress

We were pleased to see President Obama once again mention the importance of both reading to children and volunteering in his address to Congress last night. He also reiterated his support for the Serve America Act legislation by Senators Orrin Hatch and Edward Kennedy. (Senator Kennedy himself has been involved with Everybody Wins for many years as a Power Lunch reading mentor, and his Everybody Wins service was prominently featured in the video tribute to him at last year's Democratic National Convention.) The Hatch/Kennedy bill will "ask 175,000 more Americans to give a year of service to address specific national challenges...and the legislation will also increase opportunities for individuals to serve at every stage of their life and will support nonprofit organizations and social entrepreneurs with innovative solutions to our most pressing problems."

Here is the excerpt from Obama's speech:

"I know that the price of tuition is higher than ever, which is why if you are willing to volunteer in your neighborhood or give back to your community or serve your country, we will make sure that you can afford a higher education. And to encourage a renewed spirit of national service for this and future generations, I ask this Congress to send me the bipartisan legislation that bears the name of Sen. Orrin Hatch as well as an American who has never stopped asking what he can do for his country -- Sen. Edward Kennedy. These education policies will open the doors of opportunity for our children. But it is up to us to ensure they walk through them.

In the end, there is no program or policy that can substitute for a mother or father who will attend those parent-teacher conferences, or help with homework after dinner, or turn off the TV, put away the video games, and read to their child. I speak to you not just as a President, but as a father when I say that responsibility for our children's education must begin at home."

Please contact your Congressional representative and ask them to support the Serve America Act legislation. And of course, take some time to read to your children or volunteer to read to a child through an Everybody Wins Power Lunch program near you.

Rich and Jamal: Reunited 10 years later

I know firsthand that reading aloud to a child can make a difference. Starting back in 1999, I read in the Power Lunch program each week over a three-year period to a young boy named Jamal. Even after he "graduated" from Power Lunch in 4th grade, Jamal and I stayed in touch over the years by phone and then email. Just last week, Jamal and I reunited in-person and I was thrilled to see such a level-headed, well-mannered young man. Not only is Jamal on track to graduate with his high school class next year, but he has already started thinking about where he wants to go to college. Oh yeah, and reading is one of his favorite activities! Of course, Jamal and his mom deserve most of the credit, but I know his interest in keeping in touch with me says a lot about our time together. For me, reading with Jamal has taught me just how important reading to children really is, especially when I had my own children. Reading is a big family activity in our house, and my first-grade son is now an avid, independent reader. We say it all the time, but it is true: When you read with a child, Everybody Wins. Thank you Everybody Wins and Power Lunch.

Rich Greif, National Executive Director

Downturn inspires an uptick in volunteerism

According to this AP article, organizations are seeing an increase in volunteerism and service, which is always great to see. Especially in difficult times, it is not surprising that people are seeking meaningful experiences that make a difference to those less fortunate. The question will be whether nonprofits can handle an influx of volunteers at a time most, if not all, are receiving far less funding to support their service programs. How can we leverage the increased enthusiasm for volunteering while ensuring that our programs are adequately supported in order to provide the needed level of training, supervision and support?

Washington Nationals Announce Partnership With Everybody Wins! DC

During their Winter Caravan on January 26th, the Washington Nationals baseball team announced a new partnership with Everybody Wins! DC. The Nationals have committed to increasing the ranks of Everybody Wins! DC with staff volunteers from their organization for Power Lunch with Amidon-Bowen Elementary School students. 

Everybody Wins! USA Appoints Ron Shah to Board of Directors

Boston, MA — February 4, 2009  — At its January 15th meeting, Everybody Wins! USA approved Ron Shah to the Board of Directors. Ron has been a Director with VRA Partners since its inception in 2006. VRA Partners, an independent Atlanta-based investment bank, focuses on providing Mergers and Acquisition services to middle-market companies and private equity firms.

 

Ron was drawn to Everybody Wins’ mission of improving children’s literacy. His wife is an elementary school teacher with a graduate degree in reading instruction.  “I’ve seen through her work both the issues facing some of our country’s children and how much difference we can make,” said Shah.

 

“We are thrilled to have Ron’s professional expertise and personal passion for literacy on our team,” said Rich Greif, National Executive Director of Everybody Wins! USA. Ron graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in finance from Babson College. He earned his Master of Business Administration from The Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia.

 

Click here for a copy of the full press release.

 

 

Everybody Wins! USA Appoints Celebrity Storyteller from MrsP.com Honorary Board Member

Boston, MA.— February 3, 2009  — Mrs. P, the redheaded star of children’s videos and the host of www.MrsP.com, the groundbreaking website celebrating books and reading, was appointed today an honorary board member of Everybody Wins! USA.

 

Everybody Wins! USA, a nationally recognized literacy and mentoring organization, strives to build the skills for and a love of reading among low-income elementary students. Through its signature program, Power Lunch, Everybody Wins! brings volunteer mentors into schools for weekly one-on-one, read-aloud sessions, increasing children’s opportunities for academic and real-world success.

 

"Having Mrs. P as an honorary board member is a natural,” said Rich Greif, National Executive Director of Everybody Wins! USA. “She is providing a free website that offers a read-aloud experience to kids all over the world.  And her videos are an invaluable resource for families, bringing to life some of the world’s best children’s stories in a fun, engaging way.”

 

In her role as honorary board member, Mrs. P, played by actress Kathy Kinney, who in a previous life portrayed Mimi on “The Drew Carey Show,” will make visits to some of the schools in the Everybody Wins program.  The organization currently assists low-income young people in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Connecticut, Iowa, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Providence, Vermont and Washington, DC, among other cities. 

 

About Mrs. P Enterprises, LLC.

Mrs. P Enterprises, LLC, was founded in 2008 by Hollywood team Clay Graham, Kathy Kinney and Dana Plautz.  After having built successful careers in television and New Media, the three creators of MrsP.com were brought together by a love of reading and a desire to help spark that same passion in young people everywhere. The company endeavors to expose young people to great books and stories through a celebrity storyteller and to spark their imaginations and creativity with on-line games and writing contests.  Its production offices are located in Portland, Oregon and Los Angeles, California.

A copy of the press release can be found here.

Everybody Wins! USA Appoints Paul M. Harkins to Board of Directors

Boston, MA.— February 3, 2009  — Paul M. Harkins, Founder of inStream Media, Inc., was appointed today to the Board of Directors of Everybody Wins! USA. Paul has over fifteen years experience in creating and managing companies in the financial services arena, with a focus on raising private equity capital and overall management of the entities. Most recently, he was President of a Global Management firm, The Schubert Group, specializing in corporate restructuring, fund raising and contract negotiating.

 

Paul was drawn to Everybody Wins’ mission of improving children’s literacy, especially with three children of his own. “I am looking forward to helping Everybody Wins grow so we can provide reading mentors to thousands of more children across the country,” said Harkins.

 

“We are excited to add Paul to our team. His entrepreneurial skills will help us immensely as we develop and implement our plan for growth.” said Rich Greif, National Executive Director of Everybody Wins! USA. Paul attended St Thomas Aquinas in New York, majoring in Political Science, and is very active in local and national charities focused on children.

 

Everybody Wins! USA, a nationally recognized literacy and mentoring organization, strives to build the skills for and a love of reading among low-income elementary students. Through its signature program, Power Lunch, Everybody Wins! brings volunteer mentors into schools for weekly one-on-one, read-aloud sessions, increasing children’s opportunities for academic and real-world success.

 

A copy of the press release can be found here.