Authors, you can help Alliance for Children's Enrichment NOW!!
Shirley Roe
December 05, 2007
As Managing Editor of Allbooks Review, I feel that this is a project worth joining. I have contacted several of the Allbooks authors and we are going to do our best to help. Won't you join us in this most worthwhile cause and spread a little Christmas joy to our young people in need.
Email received from Jan Taylor after I was contacted by Cheryl Tardif, author of Whale Song.
Ms. Roe:
I started the Christmas program in Coweta County, GA in 1996 for the children of low-income working families who could not stretch the monthly income far enough to provide Santa or Christmas for their kids, without having their utilities cut off or being evicted in January. The program evolved over the years to what it is today. We currently have over 8,000 kids from birth to age 18 that we are trying to provide Christmas presents for. This is a tough year. Coweta is one of the fastest growing counties in Georgia, and is a bedroom community for Atlanta. Many are moving to the county because of more affordable housing. Fast food and retail are the primary employers, typically low-paid positions. Ten years ago, 57% of all jobs were in manufacturing. Now it is less that 2%. Most of the people who once held good paying jobs with benefits in manufacturing are now working fast food and retail. 33.4% of the 29,000+ children in public school qualify for free or reduced lunches.
We have quite a few children who have requested specific books; some knew who the authors were. We have more parents/guardians who just listed books as one of the three item wishes for their children. I am thrilled when a child or parent lists books as something they desire for their children as a Christmas present, as I have loved books my entire life. You see I grew up as a poor kid. I remember several years when there simply wasn't any money to spend on luxury items. However, we had a book mobile that came around every two weeks and I was a regular customer.
To me, reading opens worlds. It is also a very therapeutic form of escapism. I believe a love of reading formed early was an important motivating factor in my life.
I am awed by what Cheryl Tardif started here. Imagine yourself as a child or teen, a poor one at that, knowing your folks can't afford to buy you anything for Christmas, resenting it..probably..but it's the reality of your life. You find out they are going to ask our organization for assistance with Christmas and they ask you for three things that you would like to have. You have maybe read a book in school that you really liked by a certain author, and you remember that there were some other books written by this author that you tried to check out at school, but they didn't have them. So you ask for a title or two that you remember by that author. On Christmas morning, you see that you do have a package or two under the tree, or on the table. You open it and find the book you asked for. You open it up to the first page and discover that the person who gave you the book you asked for is the author! What an awesome feeling that must be. I am awestruck by the thought, by what Cheryl Tardif, author did with this effort, by the writers, by the publishers, by all of you. I thank you so much.
This effort will impact lives, maybe be the catalyst these children need to inspire them to greater things. Too often, poor children and especially children that have been neglected or abused find escapism in drugs, sex, eating disorders, anger and other destructive behaviors. That is why I am thrilled when a child asks for a book.
Please help get authors of children and young adult books on board. Requests may be specific however, in more cases, the request has stated "books." If you can help, please let me know.
Jan Taylor
Executive Director
Alliance for Children's Enrichment, Inc. (ACE)
8 Carmichael Street
Newnan, GA 30263
cjantaylor@aol.com
or contact Shirley Roe at: allbookreviews@aol.com
Email received from Jan Taylor after I was contacted by Cheryl Tardif, author of Whale Song.
Ms. Roe:
I started the Christmas program in Coweta County, GA in 1996 for the children of low-income working families who could not stretch the monthly income far enough to provide Santa or Christmas for their kids, without having their utilities cut off or being evicted in January. The program evolved over the years to what it is today. We currently have over 8,000 kids from birth to age 18 that we are trying to provide Christmas presents for. This is a tough year. Coweta is one of the fastest growing counties in Georgia, and is a bedroom community for Atlanta. Many are moving to the county because of more affordable housing. Fast food and retail are the primary employers, typically low-paid positions. Ten years ago, 57% of all jobs were in manufacturing. Now it is less that 2%. Most of the people who once held good paying jobs with benefits in manufacturing are now working fast food and retail. 33.4% of the 29,000+ children in public school qualify for free or reduced lunches.
We have quite a few children who have requested specific books; some knew who the authors were. We have more parents/guardians who just listed books as one of the three item wishes for their children. I am thrilled when a child or parent lists books as something they desire for their children as a Christmas present, as I have loved books my entire life. You see I grew up as a poor kid. I remember several years when there simply wasn't any money to spend on luxury items. However, we had a book mobile that came around every two weeks and I was a regular customer.
To me, reading opens worlds. It is also a very therapeutic form of escapism. I believe a love of reading formed early was an important motivating factor in my life.
I am awed by what Cheryl Tardif started here. Imagine yourself as a child or teen, a poor one at that, knowing your folks can't afford to buy you anything for Christmas, resenting it..probably..but it's the reality of your life. You find out they are going to ask our organization for assistance with Christmas and they ask you for three things that you would like to have. You have maybe read a book in school that you really liked by a certain author, and you remember that there were some other books written by this author that you tried to check out at school, but they didn't have them. So you ask for a title or two that you remember by that author. On Christmas morning, you see that you do have a package or two under the tree, or on the table. You open it and find the book you asked for. You open it up to the first page and discover that the person who gave you the book you asked for is the author! What an awesome feeling that must be. I am awestruck by the thought, by what Cheryl Tardif, author did with this effort, by the writers, by the publishers, by all of you. I thank you so much.
This effort will impact lives, maybe be the catalyst these children need to inspire them to greater things. Too often, poor children and especially children that have been neglected or abused find escapism in drugs, sex, eating disorders, anger and other destructive behaviors. That is why I am thrilled when a child asks for a book.
Please help get authors of children and young adult books on board. Requests may be specific however, in more cases, the request has stated "books." If you can help, please let me know.
Jan Taylor
Executive Director
Alliance for Children's Enrichment, Inc. (ACE)
8 Carmichael Street
Newnan, GA 30263
cjantaylor@aol.com
or contact Shirley Roe at: allbookreviews@aol.com
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