Massachusetts is 2nd worse at providing eligible children with free school meals

This is an ironic report considering the abundance of food that most have access to over Thanksgiving. According to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service October 2010 Report to Congress, only 61% of categorically eligible low-income kids in Massachusetts receive free school meals. Here is the link to the report:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/ORA/menu/Published/CNP/FILES/DirectCert2010.pdf

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) is actively working on a USDA grant to improve participation.

What is your local school district doing? And can you help in any way?

Book Fair at Barnes & Noble

Many apologies for not posting about the Book Fair earlier. We had a wonderful day at Barnes and Noble and so many people stopped at our table to say hello, to get more information about our services, and to make sure they had a sticker to inform the cashier that their purchase included a donation to Springfield Partners for Community Action.

Here are just a few photos from that day. One is Keshawn Dodds signing his book for a customer. One photo is of three kids in the audience reading Gabby Saturday. And the third is all the authors. From left to right: Crystal Senter Brown, Jacqueline Williams-Hines, Keshawn Dodds with his daughter Sydney, and Latoya Bosworth. They were just exceptional and wonderfully entertaining. Thanks again to all of you!

We don't have a final sales total yet as we have to wait for online sales to be computed. We do know however, that we have enough for our goal - to purchase a new book for each child at our daycare center, New Beginnings. The books will be wrapped and presented to the children at Christmas.

So, many thanks to all those who bought books, coffee, or pretty much anything at all that day. Thanks to the board and staff members and volunteers who worked the table that day. And many thanks to the local authors who were just amazing. Each one gave a reading from their books and it was all entertaining and dynamic. All in all, it was just a great way to spend a day.

Mass Appeal with Jacqueline Williams-Hines

Watch the video of the very composed Jacqueline Williams-Hines on Channel 22's Mass Appeal yesterday. Ms. Williams-Hines will be signing her book, Joshua and the Startabulous Dream Maker, at the Holyoke Barnes and Noble on Saturday, November 6. She is one of four local authors helping to raise funds for New Beginnings, our childcare center by signing and reading from their books at the Book Fair.

http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/mass_appeal/community/autism-advocate-helps-alleviate-poverty

So stop by to meet the authors, to buy a book, or to enjoy a coffee. 15% of your purchase will help us to present every child at New Beginnings with a brand new book for Christmas.