HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Literacy is essential to education yet one in five Houstonians is functionally illiterate. The Under Our Wings Literacy Program has teamed up with current players from the Houston Dash, the Houston Dynamo, and local organizations to encourage literacy, character building, and environmental stewardship among the youth of our community, during the 4th annual three-part Valentine’s week event, A Dash to Remember.
"Your stories and activities, along with the mascot, provide normalization and a welcome distraction… [and] encourages children to get out of their rooms and forget that they are in the hospital." – Catherine Zdunkewicz, Texas Children's Hospital-Library Coordinator
For the past three years, this outreach has shown just how strong community truly is. Returning sponsors Awards by Allstar, a leading source for custom-engraved awards, PLAN Lending, the one-stop for mortgage lending solutions, TRI Contracting, providers of exceptional construction and remodeling services, and Misti Rel Therapy, the place for life guidance and support, have come to show they care once again. New sponsors, Fiesta, an authentic and unique grocery shopping experience, Perham Logistics, the solution to your most demanding logistics challenges, and an innovative aesthetics center providing medical grade skin care, Realis Medical Spa, add their support. They are joined by our unwavering volunteer partners, C.HAIR.I.TEE, who is donating accessories handmade from recycled t-shirts, and Reach Youth Global, a group who empowers impoverished youth. Along with media partners, Telemundo Houston and EV Houston, and other great sponsors, like Caramelo Candy and Raising Canes, these organizations are positively impacting our community through this collaborative literacy initiative.
A Dash to Remember directly benefits children in Houston. Part one of the event, at the Houston Area Women's Center, engages at-risk youth with interactive games and live readings from the award-winning dual language children’s series, Avian Kingdom: Feathered Tales, and empowers them as they decorate Valentine’s cards for children in the hospital. For part two, books and activities are brought to local families in need at the Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen. During part three, the handmade Valentine’s cards are delivered to the hospital by the Avian Kingdom team, Dash and Dynamo players, and local volunteers. Under Our Wings is donating thousands of books so the children, their siblings, and their parents can enjoy a fun afternoon of interactive games and live readings from their heroes. Last year, they gave the largest donation of new books in the history of Texas Children’s Hospital.
Date: February 14th, 2017
Organization: Under
Our Wings
EPK: http://EPK.AvianKingdom.com
