For nearly a decade, Catholic Charities’ Westside Head Start has proudly hosted Read Across America, an annual celebration of early childhood literacy in collaboration with partners such as Valley of the Sun United Way (VSUW). This year, volunteers from VSUW, PNC Bank, City of Hope, Avondale Neighborhood & Family Services, Flagstar Bank, and other community members dedicated their time to read to our 3–5-year-old learners, donning Dr. Seuss hats and sharing their favorite stories.
Thanks to the generosity of VSUW and Kids Need to Read, children at Littleton and Dysart Head Starts went home with new books to enjoy with their families. Longtime volunteer, Jim Powell from Flagstar Bank, pictured above, has been a steadfast supporter, generously dedicating his time to various initiatives. Not only does he serve as an annual reader for our Read Across America event, but he also brings joy to our community as Santa Claus for Catholic Charities Resident Services and other events.
As Dr. Seuss once said, 'The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.' Thank you to Jim and all of our volunteers, partners, and supporters for opening the doors to a world of imagination and opportunity through the gift of reading!
