RICHMOND, Va. — A new initiative of the Richmond Ed Fund aims to make sure every RPS student has access to books at home and reads at grade level.
The first annual Give 804 campaign kicked off at Gelati Celseti on Monday and runs until September 30. It aims to raise $50,000 and 10,000 books to help stock classroom and home libraries across the city and ensure all Richmond Public School students can read at grade level by the third grade.
Community members can donate books, money, or time to the cause by becoming a reading buddy.
Book drops are available at the following locations:
- I Love You So Much Books
- BBGB Books
- Shelf Life Books
- Minglewood Bakery
- Urban Farmhouse Downtown and at Shockoe Slip
- Urban Hang Suite
- Julio's
- Elwood Thompson's
- Cafe Zeta
People can also buy Gelati Celesti’s Rainbow Cookies ice cream to support Give 804. Gelati Celesti will donate 20% of sales from the flavor at its Richmond-area shops until August 11.
Give 804 is one step toward RPS’ 2024-2029 strategic plan, which includes third graders reading proficiently by 2030, according to Taikein Cooper, CEO of Richmond Ed Fund. Kids should also read interesting and important books, he said at Monday’s campaign launch.
“We’re committed to ensuring that libraries throughout the city are full of texts that our kids enjoy,” Cooper said.
Jason Kamras, superintendent of RPS, said the school system will work with schools to determine what books and funding they need. The campaign, he said, is focused on getting the books and donations.
“Really, the key is having the funding and having books to be able to make those supplies available to families and to our schools,” Kamras said.
Speaking at the Gelati Celseti launch, Richmond Mayor Danny Avula said he encourages people to contribute books, money or time to the campaign.
“We need all of those things to help the kids of Richmond have as much opportunity to get in front of books and to get reading at a young age,” he said.
Click here to learn more about becoming a reading buddy. To make a monetary donation to Give 804, click here.
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