Since its inception, GAMECHANGER has invested in helping to empower the well-rounded child.
To support children throughout Westchester County and to provide them with opportunities that come from having easier access to literature, GAMECHANGER started an annual children’s book drive five years ago. Every May, GAMECHANGER collects new and gently used children’s books and donates them to a Westchester-based charity.
Learning to read is essential to any child’s education. Reading is about more than learning to decode and comprehend words. Reading teaches essential life skills, including:
1 – Building a child’s ability to focus and concentrate. Reading requires children to train both their minds and bodies to slow down and focus on the task at hand. Focusing and concentrating on a book will also enhance a child’s ability to remember things.
2 – Building communications skills. Reading is a basic form of communicating ideas and language. Giving children the opportunity to read will help them strengthen basic communications’ skills.
3 – Building self-esteem. Reading gives children a chance to develop perspectives and formulate their own ideas. Becoming comfortable expressing ideas and opinions will give a child more confidence.
Recognizing that a significant number of children do not have easy access to reading materials, GAMECHANGER turned to the Westchester community to help fill that gap. Every year, GAMECHANGER collects books for a different organization in Westchester, helping to supply books to children who cannot afford books on their own. Over the past five years, GAMECHANGER has supplied thousands of books for children at the Ossining Children’s Center, Neighbor’s Link, The Boys and Girls Club of Northern Westchester, The Children’s Aid Society at Wagon Road Day Camp, and Open Door Medical Center’s Reach Out and Read program.
This year, GAMECHANGER will collect books for the Yonkers-based organization, JCY-Westchester Community Partners’ SHINE and Summer Reading Buddies programs, providing reading materials for children in need throughout the year.
Once again, GAMECHANGER asks for the support of the Westchester community as we work to promote literacy and empower children. GAMECHANGER is grateful for the support of local businesses, including:
1 – Scattered Books. 29 King Street. Chappaqua. Scattered Books serves as a drop-off location for GAMECHANGER’s book drive and hosts a buy one, donate one program for the GAMECHANGER children’s book drive.
2 – DeCIcco & Sons Supermarket. 17 Maple Avenue, Armonk.
3 – Euro Pizzeria. 103 North State Road, Briarcliff.
4 – Mt. Kisco Seafood. 477 Lexington Avenue, Mt. Kisco.
5 – Walgreens. 411 King Street, Chappaqua.
6 – Little Joe’s Coffee & Books, 26 Katonah Avenue, Katonah.
Community members can drop off books at any of these locations throughout the month of May.
GAMECHANGER also works with several high school “ambassadors” who collect books in their respective towns and help to spread the word about the importance of literacy.
For more information about GAMECHANGER’s 6th Annual Children’s Book Drive, please check out our Facebook page – Facebook.com/GAMECHANGERNOW and email us at [email protected].
