Laundromat Library, a United Way of Central Georgia Community Schools United outreach program, launched on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at Eisenhower Laundromat to increase access to books for children outside the home in unconventional settings such as laundromats, barbershops, and hair salons.
UWCG is partnering with volunteers of Zeta Amicae of Macon, an auxiliary group of the Epsilon Tau Zeta Chapter of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. to manage the book nooks at select business locations in Bibb County. Book nooks are unobscured spaces with milk crates filled with elementary level books. On site, young readers are encouraged to read a book or bring one home to share with others.
"A child's reading skills are critically important to their success in school as they will allow them to access the breadth of the curriculum and improve their communication and language skills. In addition, reading can be a fun and imaginative time for children, which opens doors to all kinds of new worlds for them. But none of that is possible if they do not have access to age-appropriate books," United Way of Central Georgia President & CEO George McCanless said.
"Two determinants of a child’s success when they start school are being read to regularly and the number of words heard by the child. Laundromat Library is an easy way to help the children in our community be successful,” said Kathryn Dennis, President of the Community Foundation of Central Georgia.
The Community Foundation of Central Georgia's On the Table initiative funded the Laundromat Library with a Conversation to Action grant.
To participate in Laundromat Library please reach out to Dr. Sundra Woodford at swoodford@unitedwaycg.com