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News Release

Media Contacts:
Christina Chavira
Communications Specialist
530.332.5589 - office
christina.chavira@enloe.org              

Butte Literacy Council presents Enloe with “Books for Babies”

Editor: A professional photo is available of the Butte Literacy Council Chair giving the books to an Enloe nurse.

CHICO, Calif., Jan. 1, 2010 – The Butte Literacy Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting literacy, yesterday presented Enloe Medical Center with 120 books that are intended for families welcoming babies during the first month of 2010. Each year the Butte Literacy Council sponsors its “Books for Babies” program to encourage early reading to infants.

“It’s our hope that when families receive a book, it will get something good started,” said Gwen Lane, Chair of Butte Literacy Council, who presented several titles of board books at Enloe’s Mother & Baby Care Center. “Sometimes this can educate parents who may not realize the importance of getting started reading at this early age, and sometimes the family may not be able to afford to purchase a new book.”

Since 1989, the Butte Literacy Council has been dedicated to promoting literacy throughout Butte County. In addition to “Books for Babies,” the Council also sponsors volunteer community readers, juvenile hall books, an annual read-a-thon and a short-story contest.

An estimated 93 million Americans are functioning at the “basic” and “below basic” literacy levels, according to the December 2005 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL). Adult functioning at a “below basic” level can perform only the simplest literacy tasks such as signing a form. They are likely to be living in poverty and unable to actively participate in their children’s education. This is especially poignant when considering that a key indicator of a child’s academic achievement is the educational attainment of his or her primary caregiver.

In California, roughly 10.3 million people struggle with basic reading and writing skills. The NAAL defines adult literacy as “a person’s ability to use printed and written information to function in society, to achieve goals, and to develop knowledge and potential.”

According to Carey Gross, Butte County Library’s Literacy Specialist, free confidential services are available through the library for adults interested in improving their basic skills. Also, the Chico Branch Library offers story times designed especially for babies age 18 months and younger. For more information, visit www.buttecounty.net/bclibrary/.

For more information about the National Assessment of Adult Literacy, visit http://nces.ed.gov/naal. For more information about Enloe’s Mother & Baby Care Center, visit www.enloe.org/baby.

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Enloe Medical Center is a local, nonprofit health care organization. For more information, please call 530/332-7300 or visit us online at http://www.enloe.org.   Enloe Medical Center is located at 1531 Esplanade Chico, Calif.  95926.