NEW YORK, April 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cayuga Centers partnered with Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine to host a book reading for minors in its Transitional Foster Care program that serves unaccompanied children (UC-TFC). The event took place on Friday, March 24th, and was organized in collaboration with Literary Inc. (LINC), a non-profit with a mission to promote early literacy development throughout New York City.
The event was attended by a group of minors in the UC-TFC program ages 5 to 11 years old and by Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, who greeted the youth and read the Spanish version of the children’s book, Dreamers (Soñadores) by Yuyi Morales. Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine remarked, “As we celebrate National Reading Month, it’s essential to recognize the magic of teaching children the joys of reading from a young age. Reading opens up a world of imagination and knowledge, empowering our youth to dream big and explore new horizons. I had the honor of spending a delightful afternoon reading to children from Cayuga Centers and witnessing their enthusiasm for stories, and learning reminded me of the incredible impact that books can have on young minds. A special shoutout to Literacy Inc., who provided books and activities for the children – your commitment to promoting literacy is truly inspiring. Let’s continue to foster a love for reading in our children, for it is the foundation of a brighter future for all.”
LINC provided copies of Morales’s book and donated 100 books in English, Spanish, Creole, and Tagalog to benefit the Cayuga Centers’ Foster a Love of Reading Book Drive. “On behalf of our agency, we sincerely thank Manhattan Borough President’s office for hosting this amazing event, providing refreshments, and facilitating this partnership with LINC to benefit the minors in our care. We are grateful and welcome opportunities to collaborate in the future,” said Troy Brathwaite, COO of Federal Programs at Cayuga Centers.
The visit offered an opportunity for the minors in Cayuga Centers’ care to play an interactive game of bilingual Bingo, facilitated by staff from LINC. “The most touching thing to see was when the children’s faces lit up with excitement because they were able to read the words on the cards and win prizes with their reading skills. Early literacy programming is fun, and it is the most effective tool we have to achieve educational equity,” said Albania Jimenez, Senior Director of Family & Community Mobilization at LINC. The minors also received LINC gift bags with books and other fun prizes.
Cayuga Centers’ UC-TFC program provides transitional foster care to unaccompanied children from around the world who are seeking asylum and are awaiting unification with a sponsor in the United States. The event was in celebration of National Reading Month, which occurs every March and is part of the Cayuga Centers’ Foster a Love of Reading Book Drive. To learn more about Cayuga Centers’ programs, visit www.cayugacenters.org.
About Literary Inc. (LINC)
LINC equips children with foundational literacy skills essential for academic achievement by empowering families and mobilizing the community. For the past 25 years, LINC has worked to harness the power that exists in every community to make literacy a value and right of all children and promote educational equity. Its two-generational Community Literacy Model connects families with each other and with resources that already exist in the community to surround children with literacy-rich environments inside and outside of the home. When a child reads, a community succeeds.
About Cayuga Centers
Cayuga Centers is a nationally accredited and awarded 501(c)(3) non-profit, human services agency headquartered in Auburn, NY. Founded in 1852, the agency has delivered quality services by following the agency’s core mission of helping individuals and families grow as independent, healthy, and productive citizens through quality counseling, out-of-home care, and support services. Cayuga Centers provides a continuum of support services nationally, with offices in over 10 cities. The agency specializes in providing individualized, culturally appropriate, and trauma-informed support to diverse populations. Cayuga Centers currently serves 10,000 individuals and families annually. Visit www.cayugacenters.org to learn about its services, how to become a foster parent, and employment opportunities.
