Partner Profile: Covenant Community Care

March 28, 2017 / Detroit Mercy English / Leave a comment

In 2015, Rx for Reading Detroit began a valued partnership with Covenant Community Care, a federally qualified health clinic that provides care regardless of patients’ ability to pay. Each year Covenant provides health, dental, and behavioral care to over 18,000 people in Metro Detroit through their seven clinics as well as their home care and homeless outreach programs.

In two years Rx for Reading has provided over 3,500 books to the patients and families at the Covenant Michigan Avenue Health Clinic, another 1,350 books to the Covenant Michigan Avenue Dental Clinic, and 550 books to the Covenant Clinic on Moross. With the help of our generous donors we are able to include new Spanish and bilingual books in every delivery to Covenant clinics in Southwest Detroit.

Dr. Mary Hakim and the other healthcare providers at Covenant know how important reading and access to books is for children’s long-term health and educational outcomes:

“Literacy promotion is critical to pediatric care. Many families living in poverty do not have the funds to purchase books for their home. The Rx for Reading program enables families to have this resource. Providers and clinics can also influence parents’ views on literacy by emphasizing the importance of reading aloud with their children. This helps with language development and literacy, promotes bonding within families, and helps forge a love for reading.”

Dr. Mary Hakim, M.D., Covenant Community Care

Thank you to the families and staff of Covenant Community Care. We are proud to partner with you!

Grow in Detroit with the Christ Church Reading Camp

August 24, 2016August 24, 2016 / Detroit Mercy English / Leave a comment

This summer Rx for Reading was able to provide 300 new books for the Christ Church Summer Reading Camp, an annual week-long camp that welcomes children from the Franklin Wright Settlement.

Thank you to Christine Galli, Director of the Christ Church Summer Reading Camp, for writing this guest post!

“Grow In Detroit” was our theme for this year’s Christ Church Reading Camp, and with the help of Rx for Reading Detroit, we found a spotlight book called Rooting for You. It is the story of a little seed in the ground who is experiencing change and growth in its life. The seed is in a dark place to start, but one that feels safe. As the seed starts to change shape, take root and grow upward, it runs into obstacles. The seed fears the unknown and hidden dangers, but with the help of its friends, pushes through it all to find the light! A meaningful book that tied together the children’s tending to their plants, hearing stories from real life urban farmers, and talking about their own fears of change and growth.

Other books that the children read were The Enormous Potato, The Gigantic Turnip, Compost Stew, and Potatoes on the Rooftop, which includes a segment about Detroit’s urban farming. Also making an appearance were a juggler, story tellers, and members of Christ Church who take part in community farming. All in all, it was a tremendous week and we hope for the same great experience in 2017!

“We had a great week with close to 30 children and 50 volunteers, and at the end of the week each one of the children had a bagful of books, thanks to the generous donation from Rx for Reading Detroit!” Christine Galli

Nuestros Ninos: RX for Reading at Covenant Community Care

April 15, 2015 / Detroit Mercy English / 1 Comment

We are proud of our partnership with Covenant Community Care! Their Michigan Avenue clinic serves many Spanish speaking families, so RX for Reading established a Clinic Library with English, Spanish, and bilingual options for children as well as English and Spanish educational materials for parents.

Many thanks to Covenant pediatrician Betsy Cherian, MD and Clinic Manager Claudine Mamo, RN and to University of Detroit Mercy undergraduates Casey Rhines and Nic Combs for setting up the library.

Special thanks to En Nuestra Lengua Literacy and Culture Project for their generous donation of Spanish and bilingual books! En Nuestra Lengua is a no-cost Saturday Spanish-language academic program that brings together the local community, Spanish-speaking children, their families and veteran educators—all working as a team to counteract the significant Hispanic academic achievement gap. The families in En Nuestra Lengua donated hundreds of books to RX for Reading which allowed us to build our RX for Reading Covenant Library.

Gesu School Celebrates Reading!

December 28, 2014December 29, 2014 / Detroit Mercy English / Leave a comment

University of Detroit Mercy undergraduates Ranen Yousif, Nicholas Azzo, Kathia Diaz, and Marisol Angulo celebrated reading with the first graders and preschoolers at Gesu Elementary School. All of the students picked a new book and homemade bookmark to take home, and the undergraduates and elementary students talked about their career goals and shared love of reading. One of Ms. Piotrowski’s first graders is planning on running for president in 2036; she has Dr. Harrison’s vote!

Other UDM students who volunteered at Gesu over the semester include Taj Kooner, Thomas Quan, Maegan McFarland, Megan Sand, Candace Barron, Courtney Baird, Nolan Patel, Teresa Miranda-Chavez, Lauren Berlin, Samantha Carnaghi, and Jacquelyne Zolynsky.