S:US Shelter Makes Literacy Fun with Pajamas
If someone were to tell you that literacy and pajamas are integrally connected, you might be forgiven for asking them what they mean. Last month at S:US’ Rose McCarthy Shelter, the connection became very evident, as this shelter does not just offer homeless families a roof over their heads but also promotes literacy in a fun way.
If you happened to stop by the shelter on January 28 you would have been surprised to see the communal living room filled with excited children and their parents all wearing pajamas and sitting in front of them a young woman wearing a tiger outfit with a big book in her hand. What you would be witnessing was the shelter’s very own Pajamas Reading Event. Most of the attendees were between 5 to 7 years old and the tiger-clad woman was the librarian from the local branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. Upon her arrival at the shelter the Librarian engaged the children by reading them stories and handing out interactive toys. The purpose of her visit was, through the storytelling, to promote good bedtime habits like teeth brushing, calmness and, of course, story reading before sleep. This event was so popular that the Librarian is now scheduled to stop by the shelter every two weeks to take part in more Pajamas Reading Events.
Through the partnership with the Brooklyn Public Library, the shelter is also offering residents access to 150 books that are available on site and switched out with other books at the local library. And in case those books are not what the residents want to read, this month the Librarian is stopping by again to encourage residents to apply for a library card. Literacy Inc., another community organization that promotes literacy also visits Rose McCarthy once every two months to conduct a children’s story hour.