Bronx Mamas Reclaim Mother's Day.

This post came in originally as a comment from Bronx MAUster Tina. I thought it'd be good to share with y'all so you've an idea of just how the mamas are mobilizing across the country!!

Well hello there Mamas and our gracious greetings from the Bronx New York.
Glad to be rocking the world one city and one state at a time with you this Mother's Day.

Our event/part-ee/extravaganzic hoopla! is being held specifically to raise awareness of the literacy issues we have in our community. Together with a dash of help from The New York Public Library community outreach and children's services teams, a pinch of local church literacy programs, a large helping of My Family Farm cookie and cracker sponsorship and a huge helping of MOM POWER we are blasting open the literacy crisis in our local schools!

Here's some startling statistics:
• 61% of low-income families in the US have no books in the home or in the child-care centers they attend.
One-third of Bronxites live below the poverty line.
(Sources: The Literacy Crisis, First Book.org, US Census Bureau 2000)

• The number of books in the home is directly related to better reading and math scores. i.e the more books there are, the more proficient the student is in reading and math.
(Source: The National Center for Family Literacy)

• There are only 4 general bookstores in the Bronx, serving a population of 1.4 million people - and only one store selling Spanish titles. (Sources: Yellow Pages! US Census Bureau 2000)

• The Mayor’s Office has estimated that 1.5 million to 2 million city residents need literacy services. Fewer than 60,000 New Yorkers are currently receiving them. (Source: The Literacy Assistance Center, NYC)

• Nationwide, the average African-American or Hispanic 17 year old reads at the same level as the average White 13 year old. These of course are just the students who make it through high school.
(Source: The Education Trust 2000.)

And here's what we're doing about it:

We are encouraging a love of reading at the earliest age by bringing free quality books directly to the children who need them.

Our Bronx Mother’s Day celebration of reading will be held in Bronx Park East at Lydig Avenue, on Sunday May 14th from 2pm –5pm. Books will be given to parents of children aged 0-4 years. Books not handed out to parents at the event will be donated to pre-school programs, shelters, daycare centers and other children’s organizations in the Bronx. Parents are encouraged to bring books to donate as well.

We also have a Mother Goose Storyteller, stiltwalking practise and the essential FREE Cake, Cookies and much fun and frivolity.

Looking forward to hearing about what else is happening from coast to coast!
Cheers me dears!