Campaign aims to promote early literacy and foster diverse representation in children’s literature
Fidelis Care, a New York State health plan, and Literacy Inc. (LINC), a non-profit organization whose mission is to equip New York City families with foundational literacy skills, today announced its second year of the Diversity Through Literacy campaign. Through a generous donation from Fidelis Care, over 1,000 free books featuring stories that represent racial diversity, including 500 copies of the New York Times best-seller The ABCs of Black History by Rio Cortez, will be distributed by Literacy Inc. across New York City boroughs on July 7.
Created in 2021, Diversity through Literacy aims to increase the diverse representation of children in books and cultivate unique perspectives on inclusion and equity while also helping families learn about the benefits of early literacy and its impact on children’s healthy development.
“Fidelis Care stresses the importance of positively impacting a child’s most formative years through early literacy habits such as reading aloud, which, with just 15 minutes a day, can lead to many significant cognitive and developmental benefits,” said Fidelis Care Medical Director and pediatrician Dr. Lisa Moreno. “Children are highly impressionable. At a time in our society when racial and social justice issues continue to make headlines, it’s important we demonstrate to children that excellence can look like them, too.”
“We distribute books, but we also hold workshops for parents,” added LINC Deputy Director Eliana Godoy. “Our goal is to engage parents by providing them with simple tools and strategies they can use daily at home to create a strong literacy-rich foundation and nurture a love of reading. Through these daily experiences, children are prepared to enter school and have the necessary skills to triumph at school and in life.”
The free book distribution on July 7 will take place at the locations listed below, where community members are welcome to join and enjoy refreshments and family-friendly entertainment.
Fidelis Care staff members will volunteer and read a children’s book aloud to the families present. Multilingual Fidelis Care Representatives will be available to speak with parents and provide information on the importance of health and wellness for kids and families, while Literacy Inc. staff and volunteers will lead reading programs and offer resources to parents that share the importance of diversity and representation in children’s literature.
THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022 FREE BOOK DISTRIBUTION EVENTS
| BOROUGH | LOCATION | TIME |
| The Bronx | Poe Park – 2640 Grand Concourse, Bronx NY 10458 | 10AM to 1PM |
| The Bronx | Kingsbridge Library – 291 W. 231st, Bronx, NY 10463 | 11AM to 1PM |
| Manhattan | Quisqueya Plaza – 238-224 Dyckman St, New York, NY 10034 | 10AM to 12PM |
| Manhattan | Fidelis Care Washington Heights Community Office – 1365 St. Nicholas Ave, New York, NY 10033 | 2 PM to 5 PM |
| Manhattan | Franklin Plaza Community Center – 2065 First Avenue, New York, NY 10029 | 1PM to 3PM |
| Staten Island | Rev Dr Maggie Howard Playground – Tompkins Ave &, Broad St, Staten Island, NY 10304 | 1PM to 3PM |
| Brooklyn | Essex Community Garden – 3030 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11208 | 1PM to 3PM |
| Queens | Rufus King Manor Park – 150-03 Jamaica Ave, Queens, NY 11432 | 10AM to 12PM |
About Literacy Inc.:
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. Early literacy is critical for children’s lifelong social and health benefits. Our 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!
For more information about LINC and our Diversity Through Literacy program, visit us at: https://www.lincnyc.org/onlineprograms or contact Virginia Taddoni, Senior Communications Manager, LINC at vtaddoni@lincnyc.org or 212-620-5462, ext. 133.
About Fidelis Care:
Fidelis Care is a mission-driven health plan offering quality, affordable coverage for children and adults of all ages and at all stages of life. With more than 2.4 million members statewide, Fidelis Care believes that all New Yorkers should have access to affordable, quality health insurance. Follow us on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/fidelis-care, on Twitter at @fideliscare, Instagram at @fideliscare, and on Facebook at facebook.com/fideliscare. For more information, call Fidelis Care at 1-888-FIDELIS (1-888-343-3547) or visit fideliscare.org.
For more information about Fidelis Care, contact Maria J. Ramirez at: mramire2@fideliscare.org
SOURCE Fidelis Care
