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Monday, June 15, 2015

United Way seeks children's books for summer reading

Starting today at 11 a.m. at Barnes and Noble in the Grand Teton Mall, the United Way of Idaho Falls and Bonneville County is hosting the first-ever United Way Children’s Book Drive.

Summer Learning Loss has been identified as a real problem for lower-income students, according to the U.S. Department of Education. During summer, low-income students regress by more than two months in reading achievement while their middle-class peers make slight gains. It’s a gap that widens for low-income children each year as they progress toward graduation.

According to the Idaho Department of Education, 63 percent of low-income first graders were reading at grade level in the spring of 2013. When they returned in the fall as second graders, only 41 percent were reading at grade level.

The good news? We can do something about it! A large-scale study of elementary students in the Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk revealed that reading four to five books over the summer potentially can prevent a decline in reading achievement scores from the spring to the fall.

Your donations of new or gently used books can help. Simply drop off children’s books at one of our book drop-off locations (listed below). We will make sure your books get into the hands of local kids who really need them.

List of Donation Drop-off Sites

United Way of Idaho Falls and Bonneville County

151 N Ridge Ave #180

Idaho Falls, ID 83402

208) 522-2674

Barnes and Noble (June 15 only)

Grand Teton Mall

2300 E 17th Street Suite #1101

Idaho Falls, ID 83404

(208) 552-1452

Great Harvest Bread Co.

360 A Street

Idaho Falls, ID 83402

(208) 522-7444

1505 E. 17th Street

Idaho Falls, ID 83404

(208) 542-0812

Bank of Idaho

399 N. Capital Avenue

Idaho Falls, ID 83403

(208) 528-3014

1800 Channing Way

Idaho Falls, ID 83403

(208) 528-3044

Apple Athletic Club

2030 Jennie Lee Drive

Idaho Falls, ID 83404

(208) 529-8600

Citizens Community Bank

Taylor Crossing

900 South Utah Avenue

Idaho Falls, ID

(208)529-6805

2797 South 25th East

Ammon, ID 83406

(208) 239-8720

452 North 2nd East

Rexburg, ID 83440

(208) 356-5377

Snake River Landing Discovery Center
901 Pier View Drive Suite #104 (Next to Kool Beanz Café)


Idaho Falls, ID 83402

(208) 523-3794

Idaho Falls School District 91

690 John Adams Parkway

Idaho Falls, ID 83401

(208) 525-7504

(208) 525-7537

Idaho National Laboratory

Employees can bring books to work to donate

Albertson's 

590 East 17th Steet

Idaho Falls, ID 83404

(208) 523-0950

US Bank 

330 Shoup Ave

Idaho Falls, ID 83402

585 1st Street

Idaho Falls, ID 83401

1555 W Broadway
Idaho Falls, ID 83402

KeyBank

1625 Northgate Mile

Idaho Falls, ID

(208) 525-6320

501 W Broadway Street

Idaho Falls, ID

(208) 525-6200

2655 East 17th Street

Idaho Falls, ID

(208) 525-6315