Tempe Gives Away 16K Free Books To Local Kids

TEMPE, AZ — Hundreds of kids and families and Tempe will be able to read together thanks to the city's efforts.

More than 16,000 free books were distributed to schools, city programs and local nonprofits to support children and teenagers in need. In a news release, the city of Tempe said that getting books and learning material out there was especially important amid the coronavirus pandemic with so many kids still learning from home.

“Reading or being read to improves language skills by learning new words, learning about our world, or by learning new ways to express feelings, emotions or thoughts,” Tempe’s Human Services Director Naomi Farrell, said in a statement. “Increasing access to books for Tempe’s children is a vital step in helping us work toward our goal of 65 percent of Tempe’s residents achieving a post-secondary degree or certificate by the year 2030.”

The flurry of books came from The Molina Foundation and Read On Arizona. Tempe was selected as one of the latter's 'acceleration zone' communities focused on increasing early literacy, especially in the Thew/Escalante area.

Tempe handed out approximately 16,000 books to three local school districts, several community organizations and city programs. The city's pre-school program, Tempe PRE, was able to build classroom libraries and send each student home with two new books. The Tempe Elementary School District filled their school libraries as well.

The Tempe Police Department also contributed to the cause, giving away about 100 books during a Shop With Your Cops event. It also has more on hand for officers to distribute when they're out on the job.

"As children and families remain isolated, these books will allow our officers to create dialog, connect in a meaningful way and promote literacy," Detective Natalie Barela said in a statement.