ITHACA, N.Y. (WHCU) – It’s a message you can expect to see on banners around Ithaca…Read.Sing.Love.Books!

The Children’s Reading Connection is kicking off its literacy campaign to fundraise for a matching grant of $10,000. Longtime volunteer Cal Walker…

“Reading is, literacy is fundamental to being able to access education. And the earlier we start the better, but that’s what folks have been doing in this community for many years now. And its all about making sure all the children of our community have access to books and begin to experience familiarity with books and the joy of reading,” said volunteer Cal Walker.

Kadhim Owayz is thankful the organization delivered books to his daughter during the pandemic.

“She would always ask when she could go out and play. And the only weapon we had is books and stories and colors to fight this dark stubborn virus,” said Kadhim Owayz of Ithaca.

The CRC and Visions Federal Credit Union will be gifting books to all pre-K students the Ithaca City School District.