Contact:
Sophie Westover
swestover@gmfts.org
802 334 2044

[Newport, VT] — On Wednesday, July 10, 2019 from 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM at the Barton Public Library, children and teens are invited to a storytelling presentation and brand-new book give away at Green Mountain Farm-to-School’s (GMFTS) Lunchbox food truck. This event is made possible by a grant from the Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF).

A storyteller will lead an interactive presentation for children ages 0-14. At the end of the presentation, each child can select two new books to keep from hundreds of titles.

CLiF awards Summer Readers grants to organizations serving kids at high risk of experiencing a “summer slide” in literacy skills. The partnership between Green Mountain Farm-to-School and CLiF aims to reach Barton’s young readers who are at greatest risk.

Research shows that children who don’t read over summer vacation tend to lose literacy skills while children who do read improve their reading abilities. Low-income children and youth often experience greater summer learning losses than their higher-income peers.

“We love hosting CLiF at the Lunchbox for the Summer Readers Event,” says Amrita Parry, Outreach Coordinator at GMFTS, “kids and teens not only receive a free, nutritious meal sourced from local ingredients but also get to participate in a fun, educational event.”

Green Mountain Farm-to-School: A leader in the growing farm-to-school movement in Vermont, Green Mountain Farm-to-School (GMFTS) mission is to restore and strengthen local food systems in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont by promoting positive economic and educational relationships among schools, farms, and communities. We create healthy communities by working across the food system with capacity building, resource development, and technical assistance through GMFTS’ school gardens, Farm-to-School Program, food hub, food truck, and statewide marketing campaign.

About the Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF): CLiF is an independent non-profit organization founded in 1998. Its mission is to nurture a love of reading and writing among low-income, at-risk, and rural children in New Hampshire and Vermont. CLiF has inspired more than 200,000 young readers and writers through literacy program grants and has given away more than $5 million in new, high-quality children’s books. For more information visit www.clifonline.org.