Sensory Friendly Bedtime Story Reading To Be Hosted By Union County

UNION COUNTY, NJ — In celebration of National Read Across America Day, the Union County Board of Commissioners — along with the Elizabeth Public Library — will host a virtual sensory friendly bedtime stories event.

The virtual event on Tuesday will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Zoom for children ages 12 and younger. Commissioners reading will be Chair Rebecca Williams, Vice-Chair Chris Hudak, Sergio Granados, Bette Jane Kowalski, Dr. Angela R. Garretson, Lourdes Leon and Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded.

“Read Across America is a great way to motivate and inspire our youngest residents to read and the Commissioner Board strong supports this initiative,” Williams said. “We are proud to assist in the effort to make this day an inclusive and welcoming event for everyone.”

Granados added that reading plays a vital role in shaping who people are and helps build a foundation for lifelong learning.

“In a world full of ever-changing technology, it more important than ever to motivate our youth to read, and having stories that are inclusive to all backgrounds and cultures is even more important," Granados said. "This coincides with Union County’s efforts to ensure all of our residents feel included, respected and valued in our community.”

Nationally, Read Across America Day takes place on Wednesday, March 2. The day was established by the National Education Association (NEA) in 1998 to encourage students, teachers, parents and community members around the nation to come together to read books and celebrate the joy of reading.

Read Across America is "an inclusive program that embraces books in which different students can see their own experiences, as well as books that open windows to see different people and different worlds." For more information visit nea.org.

The program on Tuesday is offered by the Union County Office for Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs. This read-aloud program is free of charge, however, pre-registration is required online at ucnj.org/opdsn-reg.