With the commencement of Term 1, 2021, Books in Homes Australia is excited to embark on a special project in partnership with Rotary District 9810 and supported by Ansvar Insurance that will see around 4,000 new and high-quality books distributed to some 1,830 children in 25 primary schools in Melbourne and surrounds.
Rotary District 9810 has raised an incredible $35,000 on the DG Family Project – Book for Kids Campaign, which aimed to identify and fund primary schools in the Victoria’s South Eastern and Yarra Ranges suburbs that would benefit from being on the Book in Homes Program. Local Rotary Clubs in the district and individuals contributed over $25,000 with an additional $10,000 coming in via the Ansvar Insurance Community Education Program Grant. Each child will get to choose two new and quality books during Term 1, 2021. In addition, each participating school will receive a Preview Pack of 48 books to integrate into the school library for all current and future students to access.
Books in Homes Australia is a charitable foundation that provides books-of-choice to children living in remote, disadvantaged and low socio-economic circumstances, ensuring crucial early literacy engagement and the development of reading skills needed for lifelong achievement. The Program aims to overcome the inequality of educational opportunities in communities where access to books for families is limited or non- existent and resources are often scarce. In doing so, the Program contributes to helping overcome generational poverty by enhancing the chances of success in early education thereby opening up options, choices and potential in later life. To date, Books in Homes has distributed over 2.7 million new books to children through schools and communities around Australia, which moves closer to its vision… to create an Australia where every child and family has access to books in the home.
Basic education and literacy are focus areas for Rotary International. Partnering with Books in Homes to encourage the development of reading and to give primary school children, living in the local area of Rotary District 9810, their own books to keep was a fantastic project that drew the full support of Rotarians across South East Melbourne. Over 30 primary schools were identified as potential recipients. Participation numbers at each school were determined by Rotary and Books in Homes based on total enrolments, local Rotary contribution, and the school Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA). The $35,000 raised will fund 25 primary schools, which is an amazing result. The geographical area covered by the different Rotary Clubs is “from the Bays to the Hills”, covering Sandringham across to Templestowe and up to Upper Yarra and Healesville.
Says Shia Smart, the District 9810 Governor (2019-2020) about the fund-raising campaign, “I didn’t realise how easy it would be to raise the funds. Asking Rotarians to support better education and literacy by giving local primary school children quality books-of-choice was a straightforward proposition, which Rotarians completely embraced. We are all looking forward to the Book Giving Assemblies and seeing the smiles of pleasure when the children receive their new books.”
Says Peter Large, CEO of Books in Homes about this extraordinary fund-raising effort, “Books in Homes has enjoyed a long and rewarding relationship with Rotary Clubs across Australia over the past 20 years. The upcoming Term 1, 2021 Rotary District 9810 Governor’s Books for Kids project will celebrate the largest single fundraising campaign Rotary has conducted with Books in Homes. Congratulations to Shia Smart for this wonderful initiative and thanks to Ansvar Insurance for their tremendous support and generosity. We look forward to Rotary District 9810 and Ansvar Insurance sharing the joy of Books in Homes with the children and families of the schools of Rotary District 9810 during Term 1, 2021.”
Thank you, Rotary District 9810, Ansvar Insurance, and Campaign Coordinator Shia Smart, along with husband Duncan and son Flynn for your outstanding contribution to the Victorian community by helping to create a better reading future for primary school students.
**Books in Homes Australia is a charitable foundation that provides books-of-choice to children living in remote, disadvantaged and low socio-economic circumstances, ensuring crucial early literacy engagement and the development of reading skills needed for lifelong achievement. The Program aims to overcome the inequality of educational opportunities in communities where access to books for families is limited or non- existent and resources are often scarce. In doing so, the Program contributes to helping overcome generational poverty by enhancing the chances of success in early education thereby opening up options, choices and potential in later life. Since 2001, Books in Homes has distributed over 2.7 million new books to children through schools and communities around Australia. Books in Homes Australia’s vision is to create an Australia where every child and family has access to books in the home.
For more information on Books in Homes Australia visit: www.booksinhomes.com.au
