United Way of Central Georgia’s (UWCG) Kickstart Reading program supports children’s literacy in Central Georgia by growing a child’s home library with age-appropriate reading material. According to UWCG, in a middle class home, there are 13 books for every child. In a lower income home, there is 1 book for every 300 children. It is the UWCG’s goal to reach over 11,000 students in Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Monroe and Peach counties this year, so that they will enter the summer months with a book of their own to help combat summer reading loss. To do this, they receive support from community partners to supply schools with brand new books for each student.

MidSouth Community FCU had the privilege of being a part of this year’s Kickstart Reading program. Being founded by educators, the importance of early literacy is near & dear to our hearts. Staff helped distribute books to students in local area schools including Eagle Ridge Elementary School, in Milledgeville; Miller Elementary School, in Warner Robins; & Springdale Elementary School, in Macon.