Letter: With Pa. budget stalemate, volunteers fill a void
ISSUE | PA. BUDGET STALEMATE Volunteers fill a void by helping children During this time of budget battles over public school funding, a civic group has circumvented politics and reopened libraries in West Philadelphia public schools by staffing them with volunteers when funds were not available to hire librarians.
ISSUE | PA. BUDGET STALEMATE
Volunteers fill a void by helping children
During this time of budget battles over public school funding, a civic group has circumvented politics and reopened libraries in West Philadelphia public schools by staffing them with volunteers when funds were not available to hire librarians.
I have been volunteering with the West Philadelphia Alliance for Children (WePAC) for six months and have seen the difference that books can make in the lives of children in underserved communities. "Reading Buddies," who work with children who are struggling to read, and library volunteers develop literacy and critical-thinking skills, encourage responsibility in caring for books, and reinforce the enjoyment of reading.
Since our state legislators can't put politics aside to invest in the lives of children, we need to set an example by donating to or volunteering with organizations that do. Visit wepac.org or contact board member Heather Farber at heather@wepac.org to see how you can help.
|Catherine Conahan, Havertown, ckconahan@gmail.com
























