WUCF, Central Florida’s PBS station, and VyStar Credit Union are teaming up this September for a Super Why! Super Readers Book Drive. The drive will unlock the magic of reading and support WUCF’s mission to help families and caregivers, by providing tips and resources to help raise kind, curious, and resilient children.
From September 1st - 30th, 2023, donate your new or gently used children's books to benefit Head Start locations throughout Central Florida. Donated books can be dropped off at participating VyStar Credit Union locations. For a list of drop-off locations visit: wucf.org/bookdrive.
“Our team is thrilled to be working with VyStar on this incredibly important mission. We know that reading is a fundamental part of every child’s life and being able to supply them with quality, age-appropriate books is imperative," said Lauren Taylor, Education Services Manager at WUCF. “We are excited to see how many books we can collect throughout the month of September and look forward to sharing them with those who need them most.”
Students who reach grade-level proficiency in reading by grade 3 are four times more likely to graduate and succeed in their careers. The books collected will help spread the joy of reading to our youngest learners, unlocking the power of literacy and making a difference in our community. We welcome fiction, non-fiction, and foreign language books. Any books donated should be at a reading level suitable for preschool through first grade. We ask that there be no religious or adult/violent material donated.
“VyStar Credit Union is delighted to partner with WUCF for the Super Readers Book Drive,” said VyStar SVP/Florida Market President Lysa Barbano. “Reading empowers our minds and enriches our lives. It sparks our imagination and takes us on journeys to incredible places. Donate a book at one of our branches and help us create a brighter tomorrow through the magic of books.”
In honor of the drive, WUCF will be celebrating with Super Why!, the first preschool series designed to help children learn to read through interactive story adventures. Each 22-minute episode features a team of fairytale superheroes who soar into classic storybooks and use their unique reading-based powers to find answers to everyday preschool problems. The show encompasses what WUCF and VyStar hope to achieve through the book drive - curious readers across Central Florida. Be on the lookout for a few SuperWhy! characters who may join WUCF and VyStar at a few of the branches throughout the drive.
Join us in this effort to make a positive impact on the lives of children in our community! For help choosing a book visit: wucf.org/bookdrive.
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About WUCF TV
WUCF TV is the sole-service PBS member station for the nearly 4 million Central Floridians across nine counties. WUCF is Central Florida’s storyteller, encouraging curiosity and learning through compelling content and community engagement. WUCF produces award-winning local content like “Florida Road Trip,” which explores Florida through history, people and culture. WUCF also serves Florida’s youngest citizens, offering hours of PBS Kids content on-air, online and in the classroom, leading the state in usage for PBS LearningMedia. Throughout its ten-year history, WUCF has engaged with over 1.5 million people across Central Florida at in- person events, and over 30 million people online through virtual events and streaming content. The station is community-supported public broadcasting from the University of Central Florida. Learn more at wucf.org
About VyStar
VyStar Credit Union is the second-largest credit union headquartered in Florida and now serves more than 900,000 members with assets of over $13.5 billion. VyStar is the largest mortgage lender in Northeast Florida and a major employer in the region with over 2,000 employees across the communities it serves. VyStar membership is open to everyone who lives or works in the 49 contiguous counties of Central to North Florida, 29 Georgia counties, and past and present military members and their families all over the world. For more information, visit vystarcu.org, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.