United Way Brazos Valley delivers books and blankets to Kemp-Carver Elementary

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - United Way of the Brazos Valley stopped by Kemp-Carver Elementary Wednesday morning and delivered books, blankets and shirts.

The delivery was part of United Way of the Brazos Valley’s Books & a Blanket program that is combined with its early literacy program. This school year the program will deliver over 10,000 books and 2,000 blankets to a total of five Brazos Valley schools, which includes Kemp-Carver. Students at these schools will receive a blanket along with five books of their choice.

This is the organization’s first year doing the program since it took over from the non-profit Books & a Blanket, Peggi Goss, UWBV interim president/CEO said.

“It’s a play on trying to get the students to get excited about what books they choose and actually reading and spending time learning more and just developing a love for reading,” Goss said.

Katie Bushman, Kemp-Carver’s school counselor said this is the school’s favorite yearly event that excites both teachers and students.

“It’s really special because we usually go back to the classroom, have some reading time where everyone snuggles up in their blankets,” Bushman said. “They take them home over the winter break and they’re usually telling me when they come back, I love my blanket, I read all my books, and it’s just really fun,”

Bushman said many students at Kemp-Carver don’t have access to books at home, so it’s something great to send home with them.

“Most of our kids have the library books that they can check out and other books that we give, but getting five books that they get to choose that feels like shopping is really fun for them,” Bushman said.

All the blankets for Kemp-Carver were donated by Amazon, Goss said.

“It’s really great to have the presence of Amazon that feels so highly about our community that they’re gonna provide the blankets for us,” Goss said. “We also did get a donation of brand new T-shirts and totes that have a cute little 2022 logo on them that we’re able to provide to the school this time around.”

For more information visit UWBV.org.

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