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Dearest friends of Open Books,
The month of October is all about scary figures. You have
your classic ghosts, goblins and ghouls. There are skeletons and jack o'lanterns, and of course, let us
not forget the potentially scary figure that comes from eating several pounds
of candy over the course of one week. But during this month, we at Open Books ask you to take a moment
to reflect on a different set of frightening figures. These scary statistics remind us why our mission to enrich
lives through reading and writing is so critical.
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60% of America's
prison inmates are illiterate and 85% of all juvenile offenders have reading
problems. (U.S. Department of Education)
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Over one million children
drop out of school each year, costing the nation over $240 billion in lost
earnings, forgone tax revenues, and expenditures for social services. (McQuillan)
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Approximately 50% of the
nation's unemployed youth age 16-21 are functionally illiterate, with virtually
no prospects of obtaining good jobs. (U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services)
Scary as these numbers are, they
should remind you why we are here, and why generous people like
you are making the work that Open Books sets out to do possible. So please,
share some of these frightening figures with your friends this month. Let them
know about the implications of illiteracy in our country. Encourage them to join us and do something about it. And if you yourself haven't joined us for orientation or a
program yet, we look forward to seeing you very soon!
Thanks for all you do to make these
statistics - and our students' futures - just a little less scary.
Ava Zeligson
Volunteer Coordinator
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Volunteer Opportunity HighlightsOpen Books Buddies Fall 2010: Reading More Than Ever Before!
Would you like to spend an
hour each week reading with your very own little Buddies?
Open Books Buddies is in
full swing, and we need your help to make all of our sites successful! Please check out
the full schedule of sites for the upcoming semester. We especially need more volunteers at our Roscoe Village and (brand new!) Humboldt Park sites.
Adventures In Creative Writing Field Trips
The schedule for our amazing Adventures In Creative Writing field trips is filling fast! Please join us as a writing coach
on as many Tuesday or Thursday mornings as you like. Help guide 4th-12th
graders through an exciting creative non-fiction writing workshop in prose,
poetry, or slam poetry.
Is your office or community group looking for a fun and meaningful morning of volunteering? Field trips are the perfect answer! Email Ava to find out how to sign up.
If
you are interested in joining any one of our fine opportunities, just fill
out our volunteer form and sign up for an orientation. Already been to an orientation? Email Ava at azeligson@open-books.org to get going! |
October Vol-Star: Mary McNulty!
Mary has been with Open Books for quite some time. Since the
pilot of the VWrite, Mary has participated in every session of the program, and as you'll see from her answers below,
she is still in touch with her former students. Beyond her wholehearted participation in VWrite, Mary has also
put her experience to use as a writing coach during our creative writing
workshops for adults. Her table of writers was there every week, fully engaged
and excited to work. There's more! Mary was also in the inaugural group of
bookstore volunteers, and has helped with various one-time opportunities. Her
dedication and tenacity makes her a true Open Books Vol-Star.
Get to know Mary by checking out her answers to...
The 10 Questions We Always Ask!
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